Bow Summit snowpack

Submitted by
Parks Canada Visitor Safety
Observations date
Tuesday, December 13, 2022 at 21:00
Location
51.707100° N 116.503810° W
Reporting on
  • Snow conditions
Map for Mountain Information Network report: Bow Summit snowpack

Snow conditions

Riding quality was:
OK
We rode:
  • Mellow slopes

Comments

80 cm deep, weak snowpack at Bow Summit treeline. Buried crust and surface hoar in the middle of the snowpack with facets and depth hoar below. CT 11 taps fails Sudden Collapse just below the crust, then the depth hoar below crumbles away while trying to do tests.

Skiing was nice on the surface with 10 cm soft pow, but felt very tentative with all of the rocks around. Very careful skiing.

80 cm snowpack at treeline. Foot penetration is almost to the ground because the snowpack is so weak.
Notice the cluster of weak grains from 52-50. Crust, facets and surface hoar. These are the Nov 25 layer (crust) and Nov 16 (SH/FC) but they are close enough together that the whole thing is one nasty, weak complex. Any avalanche that starts on this layer will step down to the depth hoar below and slide on the ground.