Asulkan

We went up the Asulkan Valley and skied from a minor subpeak East of Asulkan Pass. The approach was as expected, with some walking sections but mostly skinable. However, descending the approach required more walking and skinning, making it slow and tedious. Snow and Weather Conditions: • The day began with around 20 cm of moist HST at the Illecillewaet parking area. • Overnight winds redistributed storm snow in the alpine. Ski pen was 15cm. • Alpine snow depth averaged 100 cm but was highly variable with some very thin spots. • Weather: Broken skies, moderate SE winds at ridgetops, and above-freezing temps up to about 1900 m. Avalanche Activity: There was minimal evidence of avalanche activity from the recent storm. We observed one size 2 slab avalanche in extreme terrain below Leida Peak. Soft wind slabs near the ridgetop were present but did not react to skier traffic. Terrain / ski conditions: Skiable terrain in the Asulkan Valley was limited. • Tree triangle skied decently until the lower 1/3. The gully below the hut was skiable, but marginal. • The Asulkan Glacier had several open crevasses and sags below Asulkan Pass, below Jupiter / Saphire and on 7 steps. • Triangle Moraine, Ravens, and everywhere below Dome Col require significantly more snow. • The headwall to Youngs Peak looked in good condition and was skied by another group. Forever Young Couloir looks like it had thin coverage and could use more snow.