February 28, 2014

    Fine looking morning, clouds should dissipate later this morning.

 Nice looking day on the Duffy yesterday.  Many thanks to Ryan Bougie for getting pictures for the     blog while I was away on vacation. Below are some of his observations from the Duffy Lake area .

Moist snow surfaces on all aspects and elevations after a warm night last night and day       today.  Old crown lines still visible now being covered over by loose point release size 1

                             Compression test at Tl on Ne aspects CTN X 2

Snow pack settling rapidly with these warm temps.  75 cm of storm snow since mar 10.  Rounding is happening in all the upper HS.  No glide cracks observed along the Duffey's likely areas.  Indicative of a weak snowpack when you don't see a cohesive snowpack.
A few size 1-1.5 from steep unskiable terrain.


Sounds like it would have been better skiing in the Spearhead yesterday where the snow was drier on North aspects.

Weather observations for February 28, 2014; taken at 06:00 Hrs.

2240 meters     -8, Winds were 20-40 KPH from the NNE
2180 meters     -9, Winds were 30-60 KPH from the WNW
1860 meters     -7, Winds were 30-45 KPH from the NNE
1835 meters     -7, Winds were 10-30 KPH from the NNE
1650 meters     -5, No new snow, Base 212 cm
1550 meters     -3, No new snow, Base 161 cm
  660 meters     -1, Valley Temp. Trace of precip yesterday

For the forecast, the ridge of high pressure will bring cool and sunny weather for Friday and Saturday. The cloud around this am should burn off.  A warm front will arrive Sunday with flurries in the afternoon, moderate snowfall late Sunday evening into Monday. The westerly flow will bring a series of wet Pacific fronts with light snowfall for next week. Guesstimates 8-10 cm by Monday morning, 5-8 cm during the day Monday, 5-8 cm by Wednesday morning, 5-8 cm by Thursday morning

    GFS model for Sunday.

    Certainly some moisture out in the Pacific.


Incident summaries for Feb 17-23, 2014: Emergency Management B.C.

The Dali Lama's Ski Trip: New Mexico

"Extreme" Avalanches creating treacherous conditions in the West: European News

Update on avalanche which swept away an English skier: Near Chamonix

Pictures of some recent large avalanches: Crested Bute Avalanche Center

Steven's Pass: 13+Feet of snow in February: Avalanche Footage

Alberta/B.C. avalanche forecast summary for Feb28-March 1, 2014: Snow Talks

No one hurt in avalanche at Kirkwood: California

Satellite image from yesterday afternoon.

Picture taken at corresponding time to satellite image, Thursday.

Equipment for extreme weather and sports

Extreme sports taking place in harsh weather conditions can refer to any of a number of different environmental variables and generally involve some or all of snow, mountains, wind and water. These are natural phenomena outside of human control, hence the ‘extreme’ tag. 

These sports have become increasingly popular and advocates claim they provide exhilarating thrills way beyond those enjoyed by athletes undertaking regular sports activities. In the 1950s mountaineering, motor racing and bullfighting were nominated as extreme sports, however, today’s catalog extends to bungee jumping, hang gliding over dangerous places such as active volcanoes, zorbing, kite surfing, whitewater rafting, microlight flying, paragliding, skydiving, speedflying, wakeboarding and BASE jumping.

Whatever the weather

Among the most common examples of extreme weather factors are wave shape and height for surfers, ice and rock quality for climbers and changing snow conditions for skiers and snowboarders. As it is more difficult to ensure basic human needs are met – food, water and shelter – in cold conditions than in a warmer environment, opting for extreme sports in extreme cold weather requires extra attention to ensure that clothing and equipment are appropriate and capable of doing a good job.

Clothing: layering to avoid overheating

Between 40 and 45 percent of body heat is lost through the head, so in extreme cold weather keeping it covered is essential. The same is true for wrists, ankles and neck – so gloves, socks and a muffler are key.

Use the mnemonic COLD to remember clean, overheating, layers and dry – overheating being the one to avoid, while the others are essential. Dressing correctly (layers) is essential and from the base layer to the outside layer these are designed to: 

• wick perspiration and moisture away from the body. 
• provide the correct amount of insulation and warmth (but avoid overheating). 
• and, to repel water and block the effects of strong winds.

Clothing: keeping it clean and dry

Of course, participating in extreme sports is not likely to leave clothing clean and dry, however, there are steps to take to make sure this can be remedied. To keep clothes clean, make sure there are several sets that can be worn and then cleaned in rotation. To maintain their useful life, always follow the care instructions on the label and remember it’s possible to buy special products that will restore water repellent or moisture wicking properties should these diminish over time.

For drying purposes, rather than find the boots worn on the mountains yesterday are still cold and damp, it’s worth investing in a boot dryer for ski boots to thoroughly dry and air both boots and gloves, so that both are warm and comfortable in time for the next day’s adventure. There are models available to suit every pocket and every group – from solo enthusiasts who want a dryer that fits in a locker, to families or groups who want to make sure everybody will be warm and dry for the next day on the slopes.

Home Boot Dryers:Boot and Accessories Driers