Piegan Pass

Quick report

Out for a two night trip to enjoy the excellent spring skiing conditions and breathtaking scenery on the east side of Glacier Park. • All three days started with a good overnight freeze. The freeze seemed to be slightly less strong and break down a little faster each progressive day. • Throughout our trip, the skies were very sunny, and the winds very calm to breathless. On Thursday, the alpine was so calm that a candle could have stayed lit at 10,000' • On Wednesday 4/23, dry snow was abundant in the upper elevations and rapidly changing. We observed fresh dry loose avalanche activity on steep slopes being hit by direct sunshine. • By Thursday 4/24, dry snow was limited slopes above 7500' and those facing north. We found dry snow persisting while descending a steep chute on Mount Siyeh late in the afternoon. The chute was primarily west facing, but tilted WNW in spots, and this is where the powder snow was found surviving the hot April sunshine. • No shortage of recent wet loose activity observed and boatloads of glide cracks littered throughout the landscape. Some of these loose slides traveled thousands of feet down slope , but none exceeded a destructive size 2. • Tons of fresh bear sign at lower and middle elevations. Be alert and be respectful to all wildlife.