Circle Lake and Spearhead shouler

Quick report

tom.patmore1 · Jan 14, 2023 · Spearhead

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Quick report

Weather
sunny
Ride Type
alpineSlopes, mellowSlopes
Stayed Away
convexSlopes, steepSlopes
Riding Quality
Amazing
Snow Conditions
deepPowder
Avalanche Conditions
avalancheConditionSlab, avalancheConditionSnow, avalancheConditionSound

With the blackcomb glacier access closed for the day we opted to skin up bodybag bowl to access the BC backcountry. From the skin-up around lakeside bowl we could observe around 8 recent avalanches from explosive control and natural. Size 2 abive lakeside bowl, size 1-1.5 on other areas of lakeside bowl, DOA apron, disease ridge, 2m crown on wind loaded syphillis. More size 1s on decker main and other West/North facing sloped. We skinned up to top of bodybag following one guided group of 3 ahead, then skied mellow terrain down to circle lake. Riding quality was excellent with deep powder (slightly wind affected). We proceeded to traverse to spearhead shoulder for more excellent mellow riding. Instability was clear with very small releases on a 5m section of 30degrees. We returned the same way and noticed reverse loading with strong 30kmph ish northerly winds coming back through bodybag bowl around 5pm. Very very quiet out there today. We saw one party of two at the top of 9th hole on Decker slide in below the cornice and then proceed to turn around and ski decker glacier face with headlamps late in the day. Thankfully they made it down safe.