Dream week at the Asulkan Hut

Guide Hamish Sanderson and I hosted the ACC's week long trip to the Asulkan hut, finishing today. Good stability, sunny weather, and amazing snow made for a near perfect trip.

Many skiers were getting after it during the week. Our group skied the face of Young's Peak, the Asulkan Glacier from Saphire Col, and Mt. Leda via the Thorington Route, as well as many shorter laps below the hut. Other groups also hit the Thorington hard, as well as the Jupiter Traverse, Forever Young Couloir, the Dome, the Cleaver, Swanzy, Glacier Crest, the Ravens... and the Dome Headwall. Everything from treeline and below was well tracked when we arrived on Monday and the alpine was busy through the sunny period.

We found no significant shears and observed very little reacticity in the snow for most of the week, but strong South winds changed things considerably starting in the early hours Thursday.

Snow surfaces are now heavily wind effected in exposed terrain and we witnessed some naturaly triggered windslabs to size 2. Also, on Tuesday and Wednesday we saw steep rocky solar slopes releasing loose dry avalanches to size 2, and one size 2 cornice release.

Glacier coverage in the valley is good. The route to the Thorington through the icefall on the Asulkan Gl is possible this year. I understand this area is getting more difficult to navigate as the glacier recedes and it may not be in condition every year.

It is high season in Rogers Pass and the whole world seems to be there but we still had a blast!