Observation Peak Alpine Bench

<p>Disclaimer: This is my first MIN, I am only certified up to AST 1 Rode the alpine bench run at Observation Peak. The first photo is a run down the North side of the bench, the second photo is a run down the South side of the bench (more popular route). Before descending on the North side, we dug a pit at the top (2600m) to check general layers/reactivity. We found consistent hard layers at ~15cm and at ~40cm throughout the day, with snowpack depths ranging from 70-110cm dependant on area. Won’t comment on fracture/failure results as I am not yet competent with the testing procedure. Colder midday temps, hovering around -15C in the alpine and -10C at tree line. There were many rocks hiding just under the recent fresh snow, so ride with that in mind. As many others have mentioned in the area, surface hoar is present at the mountain base (2050m). However, very noticeable snow quality improvement after only 100m of elevation gain. Stay safe and have fun!</p>

Terrain Ridden

Alpine slopes, Mellow slopes, Dense trees.

Snow Conditions

Wind affected, Powder.

Weather Conditions

Cold, Sunny.