Fraser Chutes

Quick report

Michelle Christensen · Jan 29, 2017 · Vancouver Island

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Quick report

Weather
windy, sunny
Ride Type
mellowSlopes, sunnySlopes, openTrees
Stayed Away
alpineSlopes, convexSlopes, steepSlopes
Riding Quality
Good
Snow Conditions
hard, deepPowder, windAffected
Avalanche Conditions
avalancheConditionSnow

-4 and sunny in the am, cooling off to -9 by 4pm with increasing cloud. Moderately strong SW winds through the afternoon. Tough to see, but noted what looked to be a size~1.5 natural in lower 1/2 of the Big Kahuna. The chutes were scoured above treeline with variable windslab/sastrugi/ice, and deep and unscathed by the wind in the chutes. Bonding of storm snow to bombproof bedsurface was excellent in 1 hand pit and very poor in another: 20cm windslab failed easily (very clean shear) at storm snow interface (2cm thick weak layer - possibly surface hoar but not certain).