Matier Glacier Approach

Quick report

Weather

cloudy, cold, windy

Ride Type

mellowSlopes

Stayed Away

steepSlopes

Riding Quality

terrible

Snow Conditions

crusty, hard, windAffected

The approach trail is very slippery but goes without ski crampons or booting it, if you're patient. The approach up the west shoulder towards the Matier glacier is wildly variable. It seemed like every 2 or 3 meters the snow surface changed from wind-pressed, to dust on crust, to pleasant consolidated snow, to a literal sheet of ice. See photos for a view of how thick the crust was in some sections. Many signs of wet slides on SW aspects. Hard to say much about the snowpack here, given its extreme spatial variability. It appears there is a lone ski track down the entirety of the North face of Slalok. Bailed from the recon mission before the sun showed its face - cold. Ski out is rowdy as all hell and really fun, very few exposed rocks and branches, get it.