Butter at Hanging Lake

Map for Mountain Information Network report: Butter at Hanging Lake

Snow conditions

Riding quality was:
Good
Snow conditions were:
  • Heavy
  • Wet
We rode:
  • Mellow slopes
We stayed away from:
  • Alpine slopes
  • Steep slopes
  • Sunny slopes

Information

The day was:
  • Cloudy
  • Warm
Avalanche conditions
  • Rapid temperature rise to near or above 0°C or wet surface snow.

Comments

Took a group of beginners up with a local club trip. Super warm on Sunday with evidence of some small (0.5) natural loose wet slides and pinwheels off cliff features, likely from Friday or maybe Saturday. A couple of friends I ran into encountered whumpfing at 1600m on a Northwest aspect. We skied west facing mellow slopes off the ridge between Hanging and Rainbow Lakes. Quite a few open holes in the creek that are usually filled in this time of year. By 1-2pm the snow surface was soft and the snow below wet but surprisingly supportive enough to make some nice buttery if heavy turns. Thankfully no breakable crust the whole day. The skintrack out was a dream for surfy butter luge-ing. Lots of twigs and leaves fallen from the high temps. Saw a couple sledders shredding steeper slopes and rolls with nothing reactive during the day that we observed.