Camel's Hump/Kootenay Pass
Snowpackallenclimbs · Jan 12, 2018 · Kootenay Pass
Quick report
- Riding Quality
- amazing
Skied up from the lower parking today at Kootenay Pass (Creston side) Lots of evidence of recent storm slab failure from earlier in the week (Mon/Tue) with some fresh, lighter snow on top (see snowpack). We skied up very mellow terrain and had low expectations of what we could ski with the current conditions. Lower angle (25 degrees and below) skied very well and felt more supportive than anticipated in big old growth forests. We eased in to things and felt comfortable with our decisions and stayed away from any terrain near or adjacent to avalanche terrain.
Weather
- Avg Temp
- -6
- Wind Speed
- windSpeedLight
- Blowing Snow
- none
- Sky Condition
- overcast
- Wind Direction
- W
- New Snow24 Hours
- 10
- Storm Snow Amount
- 75
- Temperature Trend
- steady
- Precipitation Type
- snow
Snowing way more than forecasted during the day and it stayed cool.
Snowpack
- Depth
- 190
- Obs Type
- summary
- Site Elevation
- 2050
- Ski Penetration
- 50
- Test Initiation
- none
- Foot Penetration
- 80
Recent storm slab avalanches observed on mostly steep sunny aspects (likely the crust from last week) on most steep and rocky convex features (some up 100m wide below treeline). Of note, a 60cm or so storm slab (natural) failure on a due north steep feature that propagated in the thick trees (35 degrees) that was a great indicator of conditions that influenced our decision making for the day.