Sun before the storm

La qualité du hors-piste était:

Excellente

Les conditions de neige étaient :

• Mouillée

Nous avons parcouru:

• Pentes alpines
• Pentes raides

La journée était:

• Ensoleillée
• Chaude
• Venteuse

Conditions d'avalanche

• Augmentation rapide de la température jusqu'à près ou au-dessus de 0°C ou neige mouillée en surface.

Today in the Crowsnest Pass - York Creek area we found there had been zero overnight recovery (no surface refreeze) at all elevations and all aspects. The surface snow was wet up to 20 cm deep where snow was unconsolidated (north-facing slopes) and 10 cm deep on solar-facing slopes. This wet snow is sitting on the melt-freeze crust that formed in late March and is still supportive. We were able to push start several size 1 to 1.5 wet loose avalanches on steep south-facing slopes.

Depending on how the next storm comes in, cooling before precipitation could develop a widespread melt-freeze crust that would make for a good sliding surface for this new snow.