Mount James
Quick report
•Despite the lack of an overnight freeze, even at upper elevations, the snow surface held it together for the majority of the day and excellent skiing was found late in the afternoon above 6500'. •Today's skiing was saved by a chinook arch that developed across the Rocky Mountain Front and completely blocked most of the eastern peaks from receiving any direct sunlight until about 1130am. If not for this arch, the snow surface would have deteriorated much earlier in the day. • I slowed my climbing pace to adapt to this slow warm up and dropped into the south face of Mount James at 2:30pm. The corn conditions were perfect until descending below about 6500' where things rapidly became wet and sloppy. • At 6000', I intentionally triggered a wet loose avalanche on one slope during a mandatory passage through a short steep pinch in the cliffs. Defensive skiing at lower elevations and a ski cut through this pinch made the wet snow instability straightforward to manage. • Snow coverage remains decent on the east side. Patchy coverage in the valley bottom below 5400', but continuous travel on skis above that. Coverage on southerly and windward slopes is highly variable as you might expect on this side of the divide. I was delighted to be able to continuously ski from the summit of Mount James to Medicine Grizzly Lake. I do not expect this to be possible much longer as there are several areas that barely had enough coverage. • Lots of recent bear sign, and a few moose patrolling the lower valley.
Avalanche
WL-ASc-R1/D1-O Intentionally triggered wet loose avalanche above Medicine Grizzly Lake. South facing slope at ~6000'. This avalanche moved very slowly approximately 150' before losing energy in the lower angled apron beneath.