Early season rockies conditions east side of the 93n

<p> Left the car by the weather station south of bowsummit at 8:45 hs was 15cm but supportive at roadside and quickly turned into 25-40cm as we started going up. Temp was -6 and winds were light from the N, sky was broken but clouds were thin and wispy. At 2390m we would go through pockets of 25-60cm. used the w-sw aspect to ascend observation sub peak west ridge. lots of thick to thin issues with a couple whoomfs on the way up, pockets of wind affect/slab atop facets and assorted crusts, deeper pockets were wind blown snow. Surface was quite faceted in places and sun crusted in others. Temps at that elevation were - 1 by 11pm with light winds from the north. Sky looked same as in the morning. upon investigating higher up looking into a NW aspect run on of the west shoulder the snow felt more consistent and was deeper at around 1m. We continued up the ridge to were it thins out at 2800m, we investigated the south facing run into the basin between obs sub and cirque and when ascending to the ridge crest and a crack was observed out into the face and the snow was beginning to feel moist and pin wheeling was observed in steep solar alpine terrain, it was here at about 1pm we saw a s1 loose avalanche come off a steep south aspect alpine feature on observation main peak, and then noticed the crown a little ways from that. A SE aspect looked from that day natural trigger size 2 slab avalanche at around 3000m on steep unsupported Lee alpine slope was approx 50cm x 200m x 400m old storm snow on older bed surface. We packed up for a boot pack expecting to hit the summit and go back the way we came. And the ski conditions were not favorable but would be fine. After abit of scrambling we reached a notch in the ridge saw a run on a NW slope and began investigating. There were debris from an older slide buried by some wind affect abit lower but the snow atop was faceted with a supportive layer beneath and looked clean into the basin blow with good coverage. It was now at this time 1:30pm. We put a ski cut in the slope from the knotch with no result, then skied the 300+m NW facing run of the west ridge to the drainage below back to our up track. Was denser powder a top a supportive crust layer made for a fantastic ski and way more then expected this day. The snow at 2400m by this time on the west aspect and basin had significantly been affected by the temp and sun, the snow was becoming very sticky and schmooey and the supportive crusts we skied early day had broken down and become unsopportive. It was time to retreat home and happy it wasn't much later. It held up back the road at 2:45pm but was slow going. Things could start moving into melt freeze on those aspects with the upcoming forecast so early in and outs recommended. The coverage on some of those west shoulders which in spots was 25cm may start to suffer with the warming soon too. It's very thin still and day by day is changing, things are moving. it's interesting and ultimately tricky out there aspect is everything right now and things are so variable, could be a totally different ball game tomorrow, and over the week. play safe everyone! </p>

Terrain Ridden

Alpine slopes, Steep slopes.

Terrain Avoided

Sunny slopes.

Avalanche Conditions

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

Slab avalanches today or yesterday.

Whumpfing or drum-like sounds or shooting cracks.

Snow Conditions

Heavy, Wet, Powder.

Weather Conditions

Warm, Sunny.