Zupjok Peak - Coquihala Hwy

Riding quality was:

Amazing

Snow conditions were:

• Deep powder
• Wind affected

We rode:

• Cut blocks
• Mellow slopes
• Open trees

We stayed away from:

• Alpine slopes
• Convex slopes
• Steep slopes
• Sunny slopes

The day was:

• Stormy
• Windy

Avalanche conditions

• 30cm + of new snow, or significant drifting, or rain in the last 48 hours.

Went out for a day tour up on the south shoulder of Zupjok Peak. The day started out cloudy with new snow coming in around S-1 all day, with patches of clear sky during the breaks. New snow totals in the parking lot since last cleared were 12cms (presumably overnight, since they clear that lot daily). Trail-breaking was easy, as all new snow was light, cold, and non-cohesive.

We skinned up the road until reaching the south shoulder coming off the peak, moving into the trees from there. Wind effect was extensive, with 50-80cm sastrugi and small cornices evident even in sheltered areas in the trees on the ridge. Before skiing a line on the far skier's right side of the cutblock, we dug a pit in a sheltered area below some water ice features; resulting in sudden results with positive propagation on the Feb. 23rd facet/melt-freeze crust combo (see 'Snowpack' tab for more info on these tests).

We skied a conservative line on the far side of the cutblock, dipping into trees when we could. The trees off the E side of the ridge, in addition to the snow immediately skier's far right side of the cutblock was sheltered from the wind, and hence the snow quality was excellent. We took another lap here through the trees on the south shoulder, heading back to the car on our 2nd lap. If you'd like more information, please send an email to: zachary.wentz@gmail.com. Thanks!