Wheaton

Riding quality was:

OK

Snow conditions were:

• Crusty
• Heavy
• Wind affected

We rode:

• Mellow slopes
• Open trees

We stayed away from:

• Alpine slopes
• Convex slopes

The day was:

• Sunny

Avalanche conditions

• Whumpfing or drum-like sounds or shooting cracks.

A slight inversion in the Wheaton today -13c/-7c with clear skies and light variable winds.

Old avalanches from the recent storm can be seen on all aspects. On average size 2 -2.5 starting mid-track and running into tree line.

The snowpack is 100cm in the alpine and similar at tree line with 20cm of new snow from the last storm. Wind effect was widespread above 1000m and varied from a thin wind skin to new windslab. We had some good whumphs on new windslabs at tree line so we avoided larger wind loaded features. Smaller features that we tested were not reactive to ski cuts. There were isolated pockets of new surface hoar in sheltered areas in the valley.

A great day for a walk in the mountains but the wind effect made for so so skiing. Even the new storm snow that the wind hadn’t found was heavy.