Mixed feelings

LuJo , Sunday 19th January, 2025 8:15PM

Overnight trip from Alexander Falls, camp at Hanging lakes, attempt to summit Rainbow Mountain. The hanging lake approach is a vertical icerink, with open creeks. Consider bringing Microspikes, the trail is hazardous without. We found very mixed conditions at tree line and in the alpine: - wind hammered snow widespread in the alpine, breakable in flat or sheltered alpine areas, non breakable on a south facing steep alpine slope. - melt freeze crust, breakable, 2-3 cm with wind pressed powder underneath at rainbow pass. - very sparse small pockets of dry powder in wind and sun sheltered areas. 260cm snow depth on the glacier. We turned around prior to reaching the summit, because we had concerns that the sun would heat up a south facing 30 degree slope that would have been unavoidable on our way out. The slope of concern though was skiing ok at around noon on Sunday. The west facing slopes of rainbow towards rainbow lake were challenging to ski due to the melt freeze crust. Ice on otherwise exposed rocks started melting at around 1 pm at treeline, despite the otherwise cold day. No other avalanche activity observed.