Snowing Sideways

Map for Mountain Information Network report: Snowing Sideways

Snow conditions

Riding quality was:
OK
Snow conditions were:
  • Wind affected
We stayed away from:
  • Alpine slopes

Information

The day was:
  • Stormy
  • Windy
Avalanche conditions
  • Slab avalanches today or yesterday.
  • 30cm + of new snow, or significant drifting, or rain in the last 48 hours.

Comments

Observed some horizontal snowfall up at Bijoux today which grew the cornices out there to the point of precariousness, and loaded up north and east facing slopes near ridgetops with deep and reactive wind slabs. There was fresh avalanche debris beneath some of those slopes already but the fracture lines got covered up super fast. Our tracks were completely gone in less than an hour. The best riding could be found in the most sheltered north facing trees where the "hurricane" hadn't affected the snow and it was still powdery. Open areas at tree line and in the alpine were too windy for fun riding and the snow had stiffened into harder slabs up there.