Crowfoot / Little Crowfoot / Ferris Glacier

Quick report

Riding Quality

good

Snow Conditions

powder, hard, windAffected

Avalanche Conditions

avalancheConditionSound

Toured up to the summit of Crowfoot Mountain (and partway up Little Crowfoot). Travel was fast and firm in the morning. Coverage in the canyon was good. No visible sags in the Ferris glacier. Skinned to the Crowfoot ridge line. A party of three ahead of us noted several settlements as they approached ridge line. We boot hiked/traversed to the true summit, keeping to areas of exposed rock and disconnected terrain to stay clear of the large cornices and avoid potential settlements in connected terrain. No further settlements were noted. Ski quality was good overall, but variable at times. ~5cm cold, wind pressed powder. Intermittently grabby wind crust and occasional sastrugi. Clear blue skies all day, but a steady breeze seemed to be keeping alpine slopes cool (still dry when descending at ~12:30 - corn crops needed a while longer). The gully was also still firm/scraping on the exit until the very lower areas. Lake had ~1cm moist surface by 1pm, but still skate-able. Pics of Balfour Col and recent crown on St. Nicholas also attached.