Black Prince area

Map for Mountain Information Network report: Black Prince area

Snow conditions

Riding quality was:
Amazing
Snow conditions were:
  • Deep powder
We rode:
  • Dense trees
  • Open trees
  • Steep slopes
We stayed away from:
  • Alpine slopes
  • Convex slopes
  • Sunny slopes

Information

The day was:
  • Sunny

Comments

20-25cm new low density snow in the last 24 hrs. Zero bonding to the buried sun crust on south and south-east aspects. We caused significant sluffs testing a steep (35 deg) S aspect in the morning, before the sun hit. Sluffs ran 40m or more and picked up steam until the slope angle dropped below approx 30 degrees (caused no sluffing below ~30 deg). Sluffs were definitely big enough to drag you and knock you into a tree (or tree wells, which were 2m deep). Also observed sluffs and point releases small and large off of E & SE facing headwalls and steep alpine slopes, a couple gathering steam up to size 2. Didn't hear a sound from any of the sluffs/avalanches as they ran. Skied N facing trees (30-35 deg) and sheltered avalanche path with no sluffing. The sun hit hard by noon and started melting snow on sun exposed slopes, while temperature remained below zero in the shade or N aspects.