Surprise Pass

Submitted by: Parks Canada Visitor Safety
Observations date: Thursday, February 13, 2025 at 19:00
Location: 51.392660° N 116.237670° W
Reporting on: Snow conditions

Quick

Avalanche

Snowpack

Weather

Incident

Snow conditions

Riding quality was:

Terrible

Snow conditions were:

Crusty

We rode:

Alpine slopes

Information

The day was:

Cold

Comments

Field observation trip to Surprise Pass. Widespread surface hoar growing, especially at low elevations. Overall, the snowpack is quite shallow and weak, typically 100 cm deep and a ski pole easily pushes to the ground in sheltered areas. In alpine areas, 2-week-old wind effect has left a bulletproof layer in many areas that is now the Jan 30 layer, with about 10-15 cm of well-developed facets above. If we ever get snow again, the current surface layers will become a very spicy buried weak layer.

The snowpack is weak but generally stable, except for isolated alpine slopes where a hard slab may be sitting on those facets.

It was a beautiful day to be out, with mostly terrible skiing. The run itself is tracked out side-to-side and reminded us of a great run at a ski resort, until the lower third where some remnants of soft snow remain.

Moving up from Saddleback Pass looking at Haddo Peak.

Run down Surprise Pass was tracked out down the centre and difficult skiing on the sides with wind crust on the surface. The ski quality improved on the lower third in soft surface facets - but we hit numerous rocks.

Surface hoar 5-10 mm currently growing on the snow surface around Lake Louise