Mt Kostuik TL

Riding quality was:

Good

Snow conditions were:

• Powder
• Wind affected

We rode:

• Dense trees
• Mellow slopes
• Open trees
• Sunny slopes

We stayed away from:

• Convex slopes
• Steep slopes

The day was:

• Cold
• Stormy
• Windy

Avalanche conditions

• 30cm + of new snow, or significant drifting, or rain in the last 48 hours.
• Whumpfing or drum-like sounds or shooting cracks.

My two cents on NEBC snowpack condition After another AST 1 course in Core Lodge

Despite strong winds and good visibility we saw no signs of avalanche activity (including leeward alpine features beneath cornices)

Over the past several days I have found the following issues/reactive layers in the snowpack:

1) down 45cm from surface is a decomposing snow layer soft slab in composition (4F resistance) overlying a 1 finger resistant interface with possible facets (this layer was reactive to ski cuts , Compression tests and extended column tests ) and despite offering good skiing (it was quite supportive) (foot pen was 45cm) this layer and possible PWL was buried Jan 1

2) down 80cm from surface is a surface Hoar layer (mid December PWL Dec 22?) (size 3mm and rounding) despite rounding characteristics the surface Hoar layer provided hard range compression test and extended column test results

3) dec 7 PWL is approx 100- 120cm down in leeward terrain and upper snowpack is firm and well bridged - so much so, that no results were observed on this layer on testing .

Considerable danger rating is accurate right now as the predictability of triggering these reactive layers is difficult to know for sure but what we do know is that they can be triggered and based on their depth on general consolidation of NEBC snowpack there could be large size 2 and size 3 avalanches on the right terrain