Shames Valley Bottoms

Quick report

Weather

cloudy, cold, stormy, windy

Ride Type

mellowSlopes, openTrees

Stayed Away

alpineSlopes

Riding Quality

good

Snow Conditions

crusty, powder, windAffected

Avalanche Conditions

avalancheConditionSlab, avalancheConditionSnow

Skied a few valley bottoms from the top of the boot pack this afternoon. Face shots on the upper slopes! With a full seasons snowpack putting the skin track in back to the cat track was easily done with zero switchbacks. It can be done. Winds moderate to strong from the NE with blowing snow and drifting. Snowing 1cm an hour. Experienced shooting cracks and small Sz 1 avalanches in the storm snow. Slabs were 5-20cm deep with the bed surface being an interface in the storm snow. Skin track was blown in after 30 minutes in some places.