Inconsistent, Unpredictable, and Shmooey: The Snowpack (and Kootenay Men)
Quick reportheatherr_06 · Feb 5, 2026 · Dogtooth
Quick report
- Weather
- cloudy, warm
- Ride Type
- mellowSlopes
- Stayed Away
- convexSlopes, steepSlopes
- Riding Quality
- good
- Snow Conditions
- powder
- Avalanche Conditions
- avalancheConditionSound, avalancheConditionTemp
Ski tour south of Nicholson. Warm, moist, cloudy conditions at ~1500M, popping through one cloud layer at 2100M. Snow dry at 2100M on NE aspect. Consistent 10-15 cm deep Cracking off ski tips on skin track on all aspects . Chose to stay on mellower slope due to rising temperatures.
Weather
- Avg Temp
- 1
- Max Temp
- 1
- Min Temp
- -4
- Wind Speed
- windSpeedLight
- Blowing Snow
- none
- Sky Condition
- scatteredClouds
- New Snow24 Hours
- 0
- Storm Start Date
- 2026-01-31
- Storm Snow Amount
- 10
- Temperature Trend
- steady
- Precipitation Type
- none
- Precipitation24 Hours
- 0
Warm weather, rising in the afternoon.
Snowpack
- Depth
- 150
- Obs Type
- summary
- Site Aspect
- NW
- Test Fracture
- sudden
- Site Elevation
- 1800
- Ski Penetration
- 30
- Foot Penetration
- 80
- Cracking Observed
- 1
- Site Elevation Band
- tln
The Jan 26 Hoar layer is buried by ~10cm new snow from the Jan 30th snowfall.
Avalanche
- Run Length
- 25
- Slab Width
- 7
- Trigger Type
- skier
- Wind Exposure
- noWindExposure
- Avalanche Size
- 1
- Slab Thickness
- 15
- Trigger Sub Type
- accidental
- Start Zone Aspect
- NW
- Vegetation Cover
- openSlope
- Start Zone Incline
- 24
- Avalanche Character
- persistentSlab
- Crust Near Weak Layer
- 1
- Number Of Avalanches
- 1
- Start Zone Elevation
- 1800
- Runout Zone Elevation
- 1775
- Weak Layer Burial Date
- 2026-01-29
- Avalanche Observation
- 12hrsAgo
- Weak Layer Crystal Type
- surfaceHoar
- Start Zone Elevation Band
- tln
- Avalanche Occurrence Datetime
- 2026-02-04T21:35:00.000Z
Skier triggered 0.5 size on 24 degree slope ~1800M running 25M long, 5-8M wide on NW slope. All parties able to move towards trees and not caught. Sluggish to initiate. Slow moving
Incident
- Group Size
- 3
- Terrain Trap
- noTrap
- Group Activity
- skiing
- Number Injured
- 0
- Number Involved
- 0
- Number Caught Only
- 0
- Number Fully Buried
- 0
- Snow Depth Trigger Point
- shallow
- Terrain Shape Trigger Point
- planar
- Number Partly Buried Able Breathing
- 0
- Number Partly Buried Impaired Breathing
- 0
Second skier triggered