Frisby Creek conditions from ACMG TAP Ski Guide Exam, April 11-14

Jasmin Caton , Friday 14th April, 2023 2:00PM

An ACMG TAP Ski Guide Exam with 7 candidates and 3 instructors (Jasmin Caton, Evan Stevens and Darek Glowacki) camped in Frisby Creek from the morning of April 11 to the morning of April 14.

Weather
April 11: Cloudy w/ Mod SW wind in Alpine transporting snow. Intermittent flurries. FZL 1800m.
April 12: BKN sky with short moments of intense solar. Light North wind in Alpine. FZL 1700m.
April 13: Scattered cloud with lots of intense solar. Wind Calm. Some flurries in PM. FZL 1400m.

Snowpack:
~15cm of fluffy snow overlies settled previous storm snow. Surface going moist to mountaintop on solars. Isolated pockets of wind slab. Graupel layer down ~30 cm. March 31 crust/facets and March 24 crust/facet/surface hoar layers were down 50-100cm producing moderate and hard results. Basal facets present in thin alpine terrain and were the failure plane on a recent large step down avalanche. Firm crust below 1900m.

Avalanches:
Upon arrival, we observed evidence of a Na cycle to size 3 from the previous 48 hrs on all aspects. Concerns were mainly for solar terrain with direct solar input and daytime warming, glide slabs at lower elevations and recent wind slabs in alpine.

Other Hazards
Coverage on all glaciers was 300cm plus. Sags exist in some areas traveled but mostly well bridged. Below 2100m, melt freeze conditions on all aspects and up to ridge top on solars. Glide cracks exist in many areas. Large cornices still exist overhead in the alpine.

Terrain Travelled
During the two days spent in Frisby creek, groups spent time between 1500 m and 2600 m on N and S facing glaciated, alpine, treeline and below treeline terrain.