Hilda’s Happy Laps

Riding quality was:

Amazing

Snow conditions were:

• Deep powder

We rode:

• Mellow slopes
• Open trees
• Steep slopes

We stayed away from:

• Alpine slopes
• Convex slopes

The day was:

• Stormy

Avalanche conditions

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

Had an awesome day in the Hilda’s/Blairs zone along with 2 other groups! Orca road access is good!

A thin crust exists on the surface below 1200m from yesterday’s warm weather. Above 1200m to 1600m there is 30-40cm of new snow on a strong bridging crust. The HST from Valentine’s Day is unconsolidated DF and graupel that does not exhibit any slab properties. There was 5-10cm HN from today that entrained as reactive dry loose on steep features.

Above 1600m on a polar aspect the crust begins to break down and becomes 15-20 cm of 4F RG over the Jan 26 PWL. At 1700m there is 60cm over the crust and an HS of 285cm! We observed no reactivity on the Feb 7 SH/FC. Solar aspects at 1700m had a thin zipper crust just beneath the surface.

At the top of Hilda’s (1800m) another party triggered a size 1.5 Sa that ran on the Jan 26 PWL. Failed as the 4th rider on the slope crossed a steep convex feature. One involvement, no burials, no injuries. Occurred on a steep unsupported feature in a TL ridgetop Lee.

We were able to ski steep trees and open slopes on solar and polar aspects below 1800m without any signs of instability by avoiding likely trigger points of steep unsupported slopes, convexities, and connected terrain. And it skied very well!

It was snowing an average of S3 thru the day, and winds were calm all day. Bring your big skis, the extra float keeps ya off the crust!!