Storm slab on sun crust

Riding quality was:

Good

Snow conditions were:

• Deep powder
• Powder

We rode:

• Alpine slopes
• Open trees

We stayed away from:

• Convex slopes
• Steep slopes

Avalanche conditions

• Slab avalanches today or yesterday.

The avalanche forecast for Saturday was bang on: deep loose snow at treeline gives way to a stiffer soft slab in the alpine above 1300m. However, the forecasted clear and cold window before the next storm never materialized. This meant that south aspects stayed unaffected by the sun throughout the day. New snow began falling around 1100 and winds remained light until 1500.

Trail breaking went from 30-40cm ski penetration below 1300m to about 10cm and the change in snow hardness was easy to detect under your skis and with your pole. We stuck to well supported low angle terrain on our ascent and minimized overhead exposure. We did venture out onto a 30 degree test slope and received immediate feedback in the form of a 40cm deep size 1 slab avalanche that ran on a crust formed earlier in the week. This small piece of terrain told us everything we needed to know for the day: treeline was the place to be. The skiing continues to be excellent at Fraser this year, but timing is everything in terms of being able to safely climb high into the upper reaches of the alpine.