FAR Backcountry Areas

Just wrapped up three days of ski touring in the FAR backcountry areas. Here is a conditions report: Dec 22: Siberia/Mongolia Bowl. 15 cms of storm snow with moderate SW winds formed a reactive windslab and there was an extensive natural cycle in steep alpine and treeline features. It was reactive to skier traffic during the day. Skiing was okay, lots of wind effect but some good turns were had in sheltered areas. Dec 23: Mammoth Head/Lost Boys Pass. 7-10 cms of new snow greatly improved the ski quality and the windslab from the previous day had settled out and was stubborn to skier traffic. Visibility was poor but skiing was good! No new avalanches observed. Dec 24: Ridge 2000/Liverwhurst. Accessed via Lizard Lake trail, there is a robust melt freeze crust up to 1500 m. Above this the snow was well settled and the ski quality in sheltered areas was excellent. 3-5 cms of snow fell in the afternoon and the winds picked up from the SW. The new snow came in warm and felt like it was bonding well to the old snow surfaces. Snow surface was moist below 1500 m and there was some pinwheeling and small loose wet avalanches. No reactivity noted on the Dec 6 surface hoar layer through the three days and no step down avalanches observed through the natural cycle on the 22nd. Merry Christmas!