Surfy Snow at Shames

Riding quality was:

OK

Snow conditions were:

• Heavy
• Wet

We rode:

• Mellow slopes
• Open trees

We stayed away from:

• Alpine slopes

The day was:

• Cloudy
• Warm

Avalanche conditions

• Slab avalanches today or yesterday.
• 30cm + of new snow, or significant drifting, or rain in the last 48 hours.
• Rapid temperature rise to near or above 0°C or wet surface snow.

Skied a quick Mary's Run. Zero at the base rising to 2 degrees at 12. No precipitation, ridge winds were light from the north. Cornices are looking large. Wet surface grains at the base becoming moist powder by the top of the chair. Ski pen 20cm, foot pen 30cm. At 1000m (Bottom of Mary's) found 180cm height of snow with 30cm moist powder sitting on the most recent rain crust (Jan 10th?). Was fun surfy powder and glad to have brought my 138s. Best run was below treeline on the previous groomed surface with 15cm of new slop. Skis were running fast and smiles were large.

Many new avalanches treeline and alpine. Mostly point releases to Sz 2. Crowns in Thunder and Northbowl. Could not see the deposits. Skiers right of Geronimo ran to 1200m (bottom of the bowl) from a cornice fall. All looked to have run in the recent storm snow.