On behalf of Brad White, ACMG Mountain Guide.

I have been guiding for 6 days in the Coast Mountains near Mt. Waddington and the Pantheon, and the avalanche conditions here are very treacherous right now.

A natural cycle to size 4+ has occurred and is ongoing with the recent storms and warming, failing to early season weaknesses near the ridge crests (2-4metres) down and also failing on the mid-February facet over crust layer, which is prevalent on all aspects below 1600-1700m, and is anywhere from 50 to 150cm down. Very wide propagations of natural avalanches on the facet/crust combo are common, and skier triggered and skier remote avalanches with sympathetic releases have been occurring daily on the most gentle and simple terrain. Basically anything over 35 degrees or any slope that is remotely connected to steep terrain is almost certain to fail.

For anyone planning a spring ski touring trip into this range, this condition is persistent and troublesome, and will not allow for any steep travel until a full melt-freeze spring cycle occurs.

Brad White
Mountain Guide