Mt Fernie Backside

<p>Headed up to the Mt. Fernie ridgeline via the Alpine Trails access road in mixed weather (rain, snow, clouds). Hand shears on the skin track at upper elevations (1800-2000 m) found soft, consistent snow (10-20 cm) sitting on a dense crust. Rode mellow N and NE aspect slopes from ridgeline before any warming occurred; no signs of instability and good turns to be found. Below treeline (approx. 1600 m; later in the day), small LW avalanches (size 1) could be triggered on small, steep, microterrain features. Snow was very wet and heavy by 1400 m in the valley.</p>

Terrain Ridden

Alpine slopes, Dense trees, Open trees.

Terrain Avoided

Steep slopes, Sunny slopes.

Avalanche Conditions

Rapid temperature rise to near zero degrees or wet surface snow.

Snow Conditions

Heavy, Wet.

Weather Conditions

Wet, Stormy, Windy, Foggy, Cloudy.