Dome Col Traverse

lyndon , Sunday 21st April, 2024 10:50AM

Dome Col traverse. Great day. We started at 6am at loop brook and were up at the col before midday. Temps stayed colder than we expected and it wasn’t until the lower mousetrap after midday that things warmed up. Snow up at Dome was excellent, high polar aspects has preserved the snow (I think it last snowed tues/wed?). Travel comments: Elephants trunk - crux of the day, it was sheet ice from previous days warmth, downhill skier traffic and cold overnight temps. We boot packed it, making sure to kick those toes in. Moraines up to Lily - needed ski crampons, hard ice from the sun, warming and overnight freeze. Lily glacier - probed on the way up, HS 200cm - 250cm. Deemed it safe, so did not rope up. Some light wind effect in pockets just below the glacier and on the glacier but no signs of instability. Dome col bootpack - some wind effect but it was fine. Dome convexity - Some small point releases likely from the previous days warming. Air and snow temps were cold when we skied it just after midday. Made for some excellent skiing.