Black Prince area

Quick report

brendankq · Mar 16, 2018 · South Columbia

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Quick report

Weather
sunny
Ride Type
denseTrees, steepSlopes, openTrees
Stayed Away
alpineSlopes, sunnySlopes, convexSlopes
Riding Quality
Amazing
Snow Conditions
deepPowder

20-25cm new low density snow in the last 24 hrs. Zero bonding to the buried sun crust on south and south-east aspects. We caused significant sluffs testing a steep (35 deg) S aspect in the morning, before the sun hit. Sluffs ran 40m or more and picked up steam until the slope angle dropped below approx 30 degrees (caused no sluffing below ~30 deg). Sluffs were definitely big enough to drag you and knock you into a tree (or tree wells, which were 2m deep). Also observed sluffs and point releases small and large off of E & SE facing headwalls and steep alpine slopes, a couple gathering steam up to size 2. Didn't hear a sound from any of the sluffs/avalanches as they ran. Skied N facing trees (30-35 deg) and sheltered avalanche path with no sluffing. The sun hit hard by noon and started melting snow on sun exposed slopes, while temperature remained below zero in the shade or N aspects.