MCR Observation

Mountain Conditions Report

<p>Went up to Phelix Hut for 5 days (Dec. 29-Jan. 2nd) during the New Years holiday. Skinned up the access road and trail during the end of the active storm cycle in the end of December, arriving at the hut around 5:30pm. Snow fell heavily during the whole hike in, only breaking mid-afternoon in small sunny pockets. The first photo shows conditions as we reached the first cut block on the trail towards the hut. </p> <p>Dec. 30th saw a break in the storm with sunny skies and cool temps. Air temps hovered around -14 degrees C, with light winds. A full snow profile was dug just S of the hut in an open area in the trees, see attached photo for details. Skiing was highly wind-affected (wind loaded on NE aspects at and above treeline; and wind scoured on SW aspects and ridges). We skied a SE aspect in full sun, which held perfect blower powder snow (see 2nd attached photo).</p> <p>Dec. 31st was a continuation of the blue skies and cool temps. Our party decided to ski E facing avalanche chutes off of Mt. Gandalf, after digging a quick pit and seeing no significant results. Following this, we moved to gain the Peregrine-Frodo col, skiing a line down from this to Upper Lake. A quick pit was dug before moving high onto the slope below the col, with observations of local collapse but no propagation observed on tests. The NE aspect below the col held light, blower powder back down towards the Upper Lake.</p> <p>Jan. 1st saw a deterioration of the weather as a weak low pressure system moved down from the coast of AK. Winds the night of New Years were strong, resulting in highly wind-affected conditions at and above treeline. A quick pit was dug on a 35 degree NW facing slope, which saw significant wind-loading and a clean planar fracture on the depth hoar below a hard slab of the old new snow and wind-loaded snow (PSTPC 31/100 Arr on DH; shearing w/ sudden planar character at 42/100 on 55cm depth hoar). We chose to summit Mt. Gandalf rather than ski wind-scoured terrain as the conditions were highly variable. Wind effects are strong in this valley currently, and only runs below treeline were sheltered from these wind effects.</p> <p>We departed the hut Jan. 2nd, where the H pressure and cool temps returned to the region. Runs at and above treeline remain wind-affected, and likely will remain so until the next storm event. Happy New Year everyone!</p>