Dolomite Traverse

Easy travel coming up Helen Creek. Good turns through soft snow coming down to Katherine Lake. Evidence of wind loading and cracking as you come towards the col behind Dolomite, ski cut two size 1.5 and skied the guts of a very recent size 2 on the Lee side of the col. The luge track out of Dolomite shoulder is very much a choose your own adventure.

1) Saw very recent size 2 natural avalanche. Crown averaging 30cm, wind slab, east aspect. 2) Ski cut size 1.5 wind slab, 30-40cm, north aspect 3) Ski cut size 1.5 wind slab, 40-50cm, east aspect, in gully feature Also saw old slab avalanches coming off the cliffs behind Dolomite.

-10 leaving car, -3 returning. Mostly overcast with some short lived sunny breaks. Winds started out light but progressed to extreme by the time we reached the col behind Dolomite. Almost got knocked over but at least we didn’t have to ski into the wind. Trace amount of snow falling throughout the day, lots of snow getting blown around.