Skiied the N side of Reco today & encountered this recent size 2.5 natural @ 2275m 50cm crown (likely yesterday from snow shedding off rocks triggering a pocket below). Same snow was not reactive to skiing (upper pitch we skiied was same aspect/slope angle as this pocket that slid) and the snow adjacent to this pocket was not reactive while skiing (maybe be a spotty layer or require a larger load) but the upper snowpack in N alpine has potential for large avalanches. Lower potential on E aspect: 15cm of soft storm snow, well bonded to a crust upto 2500m, no signs of instability skinning/skiing steeper E alpine

65cm+ new snow from this storm made skinning tough. On the uptrack we saw shooting cracks, slabs forming and loose dry. Very deep tree wells and potential for snow immersion. A bit surprisingly, the snow seemed to have stabilized a bit on our descent, and we didn’t see the same evidence of the storm slab from earlier in the day. We stuck to mellow slopes and had difficulty skiing down through all of the fresh pow.

Toured up by Texas, skied east aspect low angle open slopes and steeper dense trees. On the climb, we set off a few storm slabs down about 40cm on features greater than ~35 degrees, on a very firm crust. Below that, there were some whoomphs but nothing slid, consistent with our resistant planar hand shear tests. The crust was not felt everywhere though interestingly. Isolated dry loose on steep treed slopes.

Group of 11 on AST 2 course. The morning’s snow was light and fluffy; by afternoon started to consolidate. By end of afternoon, top 5-10cm starting to develop very soft slabs and noticed some small loose dry on steeper terrain (not fast-running or gaining any mass).

We skied london ridge NE face, excellent conditions with much more powder than expected. We had some reactive storm slab while skiing, at about 1800 m, 35 deg. slope down about 50 cm. The slab where around 20m wide (see photo). We stayed in sheltered tree terrain, and powder was excellent

Could not add photos to my other post. See Lyle Creek post for avalanche details.

Skied Feb 10-13 in Lyle Creek drainage. Feb 10 MFCr/small SH down 120cm SE 2000m ECTX Deep tap 7 SP. One significant whumpf in a sheltered basin at TL SW 2100m. Skied steep W. Feb 11 strong solar in am. Crowns from numerous sz2 storm slabs convex features in ALP, suspect ran naturally during recent storm. Test pit E 2100m facets (suspect faceting crust/sh) down 120cm Deep tap 17 RP. One whumpf on a shallow/faceted spot climbing a ridge SE 2300m. Skied SE off summit of Brennan, avoided convex rolls, shallow spots. Feb 12 Skied steep W couloir, loose dry off rocks only sign of instability. Feb 13 skied steep fat supported SE slopes 2100-2400m deep unconsolidated storm snow. Skier Triggered a sz2 persistent slab from a shallow/rocky spot which propagated and pulled out two deep (~1m+) pockets from nearby convex rolls 2250m, micro aspect was South. Suspect sun crust/sh failure plane.

Went for a walk up to Lyle Lakes. Got there at 1:30. On the way up we did hand shear tests that showed a surface hoar crust 30cms down. Dug a pit at 2050m. An extended column test produced a non propagating surface hoar layer down 30cms after 18 compressions on the January 21 layer. Also a Column test produced a sudden planar on the same surface hoard measured 3mm after 13 compressions. Evidence of wind slabs were observed at treeline and alpine. A 2.5 natural was observed from the last cycle just below the head wall

Toured London Ridge. Many natural avys seen (see pic), but only rare instability on our tour - no whomphs and only isolated cracking. No results from jumping on steep convex rolls. However, we still stayed in supported and lower angle slopes. Given the lack of instability on our tour, we guess the observed avys are old.

Lots of touchy slabs on anything steep, especially unsupported slopes and convexities. Remote triggered 2 separate size 0.5-1.0 storm slabs down 20-30cm from approx 20m away from the crown line. Snow very heavy but quite deep above about 1600m. Significant rain crust down around 20cm below 1600m. Skied elevations from 2000-1500m, east aspect. Heard but could not see what sounded like a sizeable (sz 2-3 based on approx 8-10 seconds rumbling) slide in what we have to assume was the next valley over.

About 70cm base below treeline @ 1600m. Some shooting cracks propagating upto 20m away. The 10cm of fresh snow made the trees finally feel just filled in enough, relatively well bonded to base layer, with some small amounts of sluffing from storm slab on the low angle slope. (November layer more than 30cm burried) As the day warmed to near 0c snow started to feel a bit heavy, though still nice powder run the whole way down.

Below treeline cutblock walking resulted in widespead shooting cracks up to 25-30m away. Pit dug at 1550m north aspect in cutblock showed surface hoar - 30mm. About 40cm of fairly consolidated slab overlies the SH layer. I would be wary of steep and unsupported BTL features.

No evidence of recent avalanches, but plenty of shooting cracks + whumpfing in open cut block areas from 1300m+. Mainly on the hoar layer about 20-30cm below surface. Skiing below treeline wasn't quite filled in yet, was a bit treacherous (rocks!)..