Beadnell

Riding quality was:

Amazing

Snow conditions were:

• Deep powder
• Heavy
• Wind affected

We rode:

• Alpine slopes
• Mellow slopes
• Open trees
• Sunny slopes

We stayed away from:

• Convex slopes
• Steep slopes

The day was:

• Cloudy
• Sunny
• Windy

Avalanche conditions

• Slab avalanches today or yesterday.
• 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.

2 day trip to Beadnell

Saturday:

Approached Beadnell from the west side. Light rain turned to snow above ~1100m. By the evening, ~6cm of new snow had accumulated. Bond with underlying crust was weak, making for challenging, slippery skinning. Wind picked up strength from the south, scouring south aspects down to ice.

Sunday:

Woke to 30cm fresh, light powder, and strong southerly winds. Stuck to low angle slopes, especially avoiding windloaded north aspects. Observed a size 1 natural off the northwest aspect of Beadnell. Also remote triggered a 30cm thick, 5m wide <1 windslab on a small north facing convexity. Southeast aspects had much less snow (scoured by wind), and were much more stable. By 11am the sun came out and temperatures rose above zero nearly to the summit, snow became heavy. Our exit to the car was a tough slog through 30-40cm of heavy powder.