Tumbling Creek

Spent Feb 27 - Mar 1in the upper Tumbling Creek area. Feb 27: Strong solar in the afternoon with FL near 1500m triggering mostly loose point release. But one moist slab (on surface hoar?) was observed in a NW facing gully initiating at 1650m and one fresh SZ 2-2.5 moist debris observed in the upper fan of the slidepath that crosses the Ochre Creek trail 3.5 km in from the trailhead. Feb 28: Suncrust from previous day's sun observed on steep solars. A small system came in during the evening and brought 10 cm of snow with strong to extreme wind from the SW. Feb 29: Strong wind from the west at ridgetop. Fresh windslabs were widespread in the lees at treeline and in the alpine from previous night's storm. Good skiing was found at treeline and below treeline elevations on sheltered north aspects. Mar 1: Wind was still in the strong range from the west at ridgetop and few loose avalanches up to SZ 2 were observed off steep alpine features. One SZ 2 fresh windslab avalanche was observed near 2000m on a steep NE aspects at the end of the NE Ridge of Tumbling NE5. Of note, very large cornices were present at ridgetop on N, NE, E and SE aspects above most avalanche paths that run into Tumbling Creek. The numerous and unavoidable avalanche runouts were crossed swiftly.