Garibaldi Circumnavigation + Summit

Submitted by
gumgl
Observations date
Saturday, May 29, 2021 at 19:00
Location
49.850440° N 123.004930° W
Reporting on
  • Snow conditions
Map for Mountain Information Network report: Garibaldi Circumnavigation + Summit

Snow conditions

Riding quality was:
Amazing
Snow conditions were:
  • Hard
  • Powder
  • Wet
We rode:
  • Alpine slopes
  • Dense trees
  • Mellow slopes
  • Sunny slopes

Information

The day was:
  • Sunny
  • Warm
Avalanche conditions
  • 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.

Comments

Skied from Diamond Head parking lot (skis on at 1260m) to Garibaldi Glacier on day 1 (May 28, first 2 pics). Snow very wet, lots of recent loose wet avalanches. On day 2 we followed the Neve traverse on very firm snow (early morning) that progressively turned into 1m of dry snow (not wind loading) at ~2200m on the N side of Garibaldi. Heavy on the way out in the afternoon via Brohm Ridge.
Loose wet on the final descent to Ring Creek near the bridge to Opal Cone (E aspect, 1400m ASL). May 28 5pm.
Loose wet on the final descent to Ring Creek near the bridge to Opal Cone (E aspect, 1400m ASL). May 28 5pm.
More loose wet in that drainage.
More loose wet in that drainage.
Alpenglow view of Garibaldi E face (May 29, 5am). Lots of loose wet at ~1900m in foreground.
Alpenglow view of Garibaldi E face (May 29, 5am). Lots of loose wet at ~1900m in foreground.
View of Garibaldi Glacier. Everything still well filled in. Loose wet on N aspects of Opal Cone at 1700m in the background.
View of Garibaldi Glacier. Everything still well filled in. Loose wet on N aspects of Opal Cone at 1700m in the background.
Start of what turned into thigh-deep trail breaking in new snow on Garibaldi N face below summit. Bergschrund visible. Probed the bridge to 2m, seemed solid but new cracks were observed forming recently.
Start of what turned into thigh-deep trail breaking in new snow on Garibaldi N face below summit. Bergschrund visible. Probed the bridge to 2m, seemed solid but new cracks were observed forming recently.
Really good turns.
Really good turns.
Garibaldi-Atwell from the NW.
Garibaldi-Atwell from the NW.
W faces of Dalton Dome and Atwell from Brohm Ridge.
W faces of Dalton Dome and Atwell from Brohm Ridge.