Good Day for Mellow Turns

Quick report

AndrewfromJasper · Mar 3, 2024 · Yukon

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Quick report

Weather
cold, sunny
Ride Type
denseTrees, mellowSlopes, openTrees, sunnySlopes
Stayed Away
convexSlopes, steepSlopes
Riding Quality
good
Snow Conditions
powder
Avalanche Conditions
avalancheConditionSound

As expected... It's spooky out there! We did a few yo-yo laps in the mellow glades at treeline on Hilda. Widespread evidence of a large natural cycle from the last storm; all aspects, all elevations. Lots of whumphing on the way up including a monster whumph that I triggered when I stepped off my skis into unsupportive snow to transition at an exposed treeline knoll... cracking and whumph propagated 50-100m in all directions lasting more than a second and circling back around. Skiing was great in the mellow glades with 10-15cm powder turns. We did find a couple pockets of unreactive windslab isolated to exposed ridgecrest and there was obvious wind effect/sastrugi in seen in the alpine/treeline and around Parker ridge. We avoided all avalanche terrain and overhead hazard and had a great day. Snow profile details in the snowpack section.

Weather

Avg Temp
-12
Wind Speed
windSpeedCalm
Blowing Snow
none
Sky Condition
scatteredClouds
Snowfall Rate
1
Temperature Trend
rising
Precipitation Type
snow

Nice day with little flurries S-1

Snowpack

Depth
144
Obs Type
point
Site Aspect
SE
Test Fracture
sudden
Site Elevation
2298
Ski Penetration
13
Test Initiation
moderate
Foot Penetration
85
Cracking Observed
1
Test Failure Depth
54
Site Elevation Band
tln
Surface Conditions
newSnow
Whumpfing Observed
1

Test profile in sheltered glades at treeline 2300m, 15 deg slope. ECTP 13 down 54cm in facets above Feb 3rd melt freeze crust, test block easily slid off after failure. HS 144cm, 144-112 Fist storm snow, 112-90 1 Finger, 90-82 Pencil (Feb 3rd MfCr), 82-0 4 finger facets and depth hoar