Kootenay Pass Buzz's Ridge

Riding quality was:

Good

Snow conditions were:

• Powder

We rode:

• Mellow slopes
• Open trees
• Steep slopes

We stayed away from:

• Alpine slopes
• Convex slopes

The day was:

• Cloudy
• Sunny

Inviting conditions on a busy day — lots of tracks visible by the end of the day. Temperatures ranged from -10°C to -6°C with light NE winds (10–15 km/h), overcast skies, and occasional sun breaks. Recent snowfall was approx. 50 cm.

Skiing was excellent on all aspects skied (east, south, and north). Snow quality was dry, with a light, variable sun crust on SE aspects from Friday's sun (Feb. 20). No signs of instability or movement observed on steeper tracked slopes (see Photo 2).

Snowpack Observation:

We dug a pit near the top of Buzz's, on a SE aspect, to evaluate recent snow layers.

Location: 2040 m elevation / 128° (SE aspect)

LONG/LAT: 49°4'28" N 117°3'6"

Total snowpack depth: 271 cm

Layer stratigraphy (surface to base):

Three distinct hard crusts were identified at 202 cm, 177 cm, and 164 cm depth.

Hardness by layer:

271–220 cm: (F)

220–202 cm: (4F)

202–164 cm: (1F)

Below 164 cm: Pencil

Snow was bonded to surrounding layers throughout.

Stability Tests:

ECTN 18 on recent layer — no collapse or fracture propagation.

Shear test on 202 cm crust layer — resistant planar fracture with moderate-to-high effort required.

Overall Interpretation:

Results suggest the snowpack is moderately well-bonded, with the 202 cm crust layer showing a planar shear character under resistance. The ECTN 18 indicates low propagation potential in the tested location, though the presence of multiple crusts warrants continued attention, particularly on loaded SE aspects.