12 Mar 2012

Good size slab popped out below the rocks.  March 8, 2012                                                                     Steven Boorne Photo


I was doing the spearhead traverse with some friends this week, and on Thursday we skinned up lookers right of Diavolo Peak off the Diavolo Glacier toward Benvolio Glacier, and we saw this slide.  It appears the slide stepped down.  Not sure how big the fracture was but the debris field was huge.  Spoke to someone who skied by there on Wednesday and this had not occurred, so must have happened sometime in the night or early morning of Thursday.  Humbling stuff…

At 06:00 it was -11 at 2280 meters, winds were 75-110 KPH from the ESE. At 1550 the temperature was    -7, 97 % relative humidity and the barometer is dropping. 11 cm of new snow was recorded at cat skinner and 10 cm at pig alley. In the valley it is -2. Finally we are into a cycle of snow for the week. Expect up to 30 cm of new by tomorrow morning. Strong winds today will reack havoc on the alpine.

Avalanche control yesterday produced size 1-2 avalanches.


For the updated Avalanche Advisory click here: Avalanche Advisory

Update on Sparwood Avalanche brings number to 7 fatalities in BC : Corbin Avalanche

Avalanche control at Kicking Horse, Click here: Avalanche Control

Thanks to Braden Douglas for submitting these photos from last Wednesday and Thursday.





Hi skiing up in behind Mt Currie, Gravel Cr drainage.
These are pretty old now, but both failed on the Feb 16 crust. The first one Horse Doctrin W aspect was size 2.5 pulled out upper meadow and strained down through the trees. Lucky now one got caught! The other one Bronco was NE aspect triggered at the top, and the rest went sympathetic after the first one sz 2's All around 1500- 1900m . Lots of other observations on all aspects running natural to size 3. South aspect. Active day out there.