Crowfoot glades

Riding quality was:

Good

Snow conditions were:

• Deep powder

We rode:

• Mellow slopes
• Open trees

We stayed away from:

• Alpine slopes
• Steep 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.
• Whumpfing or drum-like sounds or shooting cracks.

Busy day at crowfoot with 10+ cars at 10am. Storm provided 30-40 cm of fresh with intense winds increasing in afternoon. Lots of weather activity, numerous cornice falls and spindrift all day off the headwall above and size 1-2 off next large fan north, lakeside.

We popped one 0.5 in mellow terrain on a small convexity, which would have had some consequence had it been closer to the centre ‘pillow drainage’. We avoided going into the drainage as seemed like a significant terrain trap with conditions and number of people around.

Far left drainage was chewed up but soft and refilling with wind. Fun to be had.

Suspect a significant wind slab formation coming with N winds increasing through the day to nearly unbearable by 3pm, gusting 50+. Skin track back across lake was non-existent with wind transport