Waldie Lake - Dec 21-24

Riding quality was:

Good

Snow conditions were:

• Deep powder
• Powder

We rode:

• Dense trees
• Open trees

We stayed away from:

• Alpine slopes
• Convex slopes
• Steep slopes

The day was:

• Cold
• Sunny

Avalanche conditions

• 30cm + of new snow, or significant drifting, or rain in the last 48 hours.

Skinning into camp on the morning of Dec 21 coincided with scattered flurries and obscured visibility through Pristine Pass. At basecamp (1655m asl) the approaching storm changed to a significant rain event that lasted until about 10pm. Snow, at times heavy, ensued shortly thereafter. Dec 22 we awoke in camp to 20cm fresh heavy powder and scattered flurries that lasted throughout the day accounting for another 5cm of light powder at basecamp. After the storm, trace amounts of new snow accumulated in basecamp. Above 1850m asl, HST = ~40-50cm locally.

During our stay, overnight temperatures dipped to approximately -18C while daytime highs approached 0C. Strong wind was associated with the storm but otherwise our trip experienced very little wind effect, however we did not venture into the alpine. On our skin out of camp on Dec 24 strong winds at ridge top were observed.

Surface hoar up to 5mm formed during the early hours of Dec 23. It was observed throughout the basin we were skiing in. By Dec 24, SH on solar slopes were laying mostly flat while shaded and polar slopes appear to conserve upright crystals.