MCR Observation

Mountain Conditions Report

<p>Spent the last few days teaching an AST2 course. Yesterday my group of 6 set the skin track into Ursus Trees. We observed no wind in the morning but in the afternoon there was a light wind from the South. Trail breaking was about 40cm deep. It was -11 in the valley but -3 at 2250m, warmer up high as the storm pushed on. The surface snow was -3.8 and 40-50 cm down in the snowpack -10. It snowed all day, heavily for most of it. CTE(SC) down 15cm, CTM (SC) down ~45cm, ECTM to end of column &amp; CTH(SP) down 80cm.<br /> Lots of slabbing 15cm deep in the more open but of concern was the slab 40cm down. Lots of sloughing in steep trees, almost too much.<br /> Heard and saw a few natural avalanches. Of note: Cheops #4 ran full path to size 3 at 3:30pm with an impressive powder cloud. It ran again in the area about 10mins later. Frequent Flyer ran to the skin track, barely.</p>