Through the storm in White Pass

Mountain Conditions Report

<p>We spent the period of Tuesday March 14 to Sunday March 19 camped out in White Pass doing sled assisted ski touring. We began our trip at the tail end of an extended outflow and surface conditions were largely wind hammered and firm save for very sheltered drainages out of the the main valley. A large storm hit on the night of the 15th and continued through the 16th delivering 50-70cm of storm snow (drainage dependent). The winds and warm temps came in for 24hrs and pressed the storm slab upside down below 1400m and deposited deep wind slabs on northerly aspects. The previous "outflow" surfaces had developed 2-3cm of small facets with the storm snow fell on. Evidence of a Na storm slab and wind slab cycle so size 3 was apparent when the sun came out again on Friday and Saturday. This storm and warm weather were a good test for our persistent week layers but we saw no evidence of persistent slab avalanches or cornice failures in our travels. Perhaps they are done? Perhaps not enough load given their burial depth? Maybe needed more than one day of heat? Time shall tell...... All in all conditions were deep and for two days just getting places was challenging with many stuck sleds and a couple of shredded belts. It was worth it because the skiing was fantastic. Saturday was a very busy day in White Pass with hundreds of sledders and skiers testing many slopes but also keeping it in check for the most part.</p>