Little Yoho

We spent the weekend at Stanley Mitchell Hut. As expected for a continental snowpack and persistent slab problem, evidence was sparse and uncertainty was high. We observed no recent avalanches. We did see an old crown on a East aspect, in the alpine, below cliffs. It was size 2 and possibly from Dec30 SH. Test pits showed a poor snow structure on southerly slopes and NE slopes at treeline with reactive basal facets. We found Dec30 Decomposing SH 80cm down on NE aspect at treeline. It was unreactive in tests. Height of snow below treeline was 160 to 180cm and at treeline it was 190 to 220cm. With poor structure and uncertainty we generally avoided slopes over 35 degrees, but did ski small supported pitches around 35, we also avoided slopes connected to large alpine terrain with potential for unsurvivable avalanches. The conditions were great for low angle tree skiing with boot deep powder on a supportive snowpack. Although it did not have a negative effect on conditions we did note solar warming on East and South slopes at treeline.

From Jan 24 to 27 sky was generally broken to overcast, with the exception of a clear night Jan 24, snowfall rate went from nil to S1. Temps in the morning were about -10 and around 0 in the early afternoon. Winds were moderate and westerly at treeline and calm below treeline.

We found decomposing small surface hoar 80cm down. It was not reactive in test pits. Depth hoar and basal facets produced sudden results with CTH at treeline on NE aspect.