Whimster Wandering

The South Rockies team took a visit to the newest Grizzly Basin Outfitters cabin in the Whimster creek drainage today! Access was ok, new snow down low made a difference in keeping the machines cool. Apart from one minor creek crossing, the road is snow or ice the whole way to the cabin! We ventured above the cabin on skis up to a treed ridgeline at 1800m. Travel conditions are reasonable in this area. There is 10 cm of new snow on the most recent crust, which is supportive to skis. Within the 10 cm of new snow there is a thin breakable crust that was not a factor while skinning, but noticeable on the ski down a treed north facing slope. Surface snow on the south aspect was collecting some solar radiation with patches of sunlight and mostly cloudy skies, but not enough to warm the surface snow. Air temperature at 1800 m was -2.5 and winds were light from the south. Snowpack depth at 1800 m was between 170-190 cm. We observed lots of recent cornice growth in the McDermott and First Peak area. And one old natural size 2.5 persistent slab avalanche, likely during last weeks rain event, on the steep and rocky North face of McDermott Peak. A group skiing in this area the past week reported some signs of instability on north facing terrain in the treeline/alpine. If you have been out in the hills recently or plan on getting out this weekend, please consider submitting your observations to the MIN!