Big Blue

We skied the glaciers in the Big Blue Valley yesterday. Approximately 15 cm of wind-pressed powder over a supportive crust provided good riding conditions on north-facing slopes. Saturday’s warm temperatures produced a thin melt-freeze crust on steeper east- and west-facing aspects that caught direct sun. We observed one recent avalanche (within the past ~72 hours): a size 1 wind slab on a cross-loaded east-facing slope. The slab released below a steep rock face and ran approximately 30 m. South winds began to increase around 14:00, and cloud cover moved in quickly by 15:00.