Tiaya Peak

<p>A great day for technical objectives. We stoped in to chat with the guides at Yukon Heliskiing in the morning: their main avalanche concern was isolated pockets of hard windslab over facets in smaller, steep unsupported features. We sledded from Fraser to the Tiaya N col (aka "The Notch") from there we climbed onto the N glacier and up to the W sub peak. We found about 200-250cm of snow on the glacier, crevasses were well bridge with few obvious sags. From there we skied a south facing couloir down to the S glacier then ascended up to the south shoulder and skied the steeper Tiaya W face to Crater lake before skinning back up to the sled. A light north wind kept things cool despite the intense sun and we didn't find any moist snow above tree-line. We encountered a variety of widespread previously wind effected surfaces over facets down 40cm. However, we didn't observe any signs or obvious instability. In isolated features, old hard slabs and strastugi was beginning to facet and the best ski quality was where the snow surface had a "dappled" texture. Otherwise widespread wind loaded or wind pressed surfaces were firm and supportive. In fact, fall hazard was our greatest concern for the day as self arresting would have been challenging. </p>

Terrain Ridden

Alpine slopes, Convex slopes, Steep slopes.

Snow Conditions

Hard, Wind affected.

Weather Conditions

Cold, Sunny.