5040

cpendziwol , Tuesday 17th December, 2024 4:15PM

Sun weather was not as forecasted. Approx 30-40cm fell from Sun to Mon (until 1pm but was continuing to snow BLT). Wind was gusting over 30km/hr overnight and monday AM. Overnight temp was approx -5*C. Access on Marion Mainline. 40cm on the road until 7km mark, gradually thinned out until 3km Mark 30cm new snow from Sun to Mon BLT. Snow became stickier just past Cobalt Lake. Alpine very scoured from Sunday overnight winds though protected pockets had deeper dry snow. (at least for Vancouver Island standards). More wind scoured areas has thin (2-3cm) of snow on top of hard, icy crust, causing difficult uphill movement. We stuck to more moderate terrain and snowpack seemed relatively stable. Monday we kept below Hut and in/below treeline. Within protection of the trees, there was 20-30cm of snow accumulation from overnight. Moderate cracking was observed so we stuck to more moderate terrain. Many small (less than size 1 avys) were skier triggered on SE to W aspects, mostly on small steep convex knolls (See photo). Overnight snow was sitting and sliding off previous storm snow (Saturday/Sunday), not the deeper crust.

High winds above treeline and Col/ridge of 5040. Hut also exposed to high winds from SE. Bwlow treeline and by Cobalt Lake has minimal wind but higher temperatures. Temperature at 1300m was around -5 in the morning and warmed consistently through the morning into the early afternoon up to 2 degrees around 1000m.