December 3, 2016

    AVALANCHE ACTIVITY:

    Old glide crack/slump on Whistler Friday.

   Xc (cornice control with explosives) produced up to Sz 1.5 on Whistler Friday, limited Sz 1's with
   Sc (ski cut) in steep features on WB in wind affected new snow.

    YESTERDAY'S CONDITIONS:

    Snow to the valley early Friday morning, Dec 2, 2016.

    Low moist cloud layer made it challenging mid mountain. Icing conditions if you were in a heli!

    Snowing at Mid Gondi on Whistler in the morning.  FL went to 1500 meters by noon.

    There were a few sucker holes in the afternoon. Much drier than was forecasted :(

    Power Flurries later in the afternoon.


Weather Observations for December 3, 2016,: taken at 06:00 Hours.

2240 meters    -8, Winds were 50-70 KPH SSW --Horstman Hut Station
2180 meters    -8, Winds were 45-70 KPH SSW   --Whistler Peak
1860 meters    -6, Winds were 45-100 KPH SW    --Rendevous
1835 meters    -5, Winds were 30-60 KPH SW      --Roundhouse
1650 meters    -4, 1 cm of new snow, 2 cm in 24 hrs, 166 cm Base, RH 95%  --Pig Alley
1550 meters    -4, 1 cm of new snow, 3 cm in 24 hrs, 113 cm Base        --Catskinner 

  660 meters   +1, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was +3.0. 5.5 mm of Precip recorded yest

    As of 07:00 Hrs this am we have broken cloud and unlimited visibility.


FOR THE FORECAST:

Unsettled conditions this morning, then a weakening front will move through this afternoon with a more vigorous impulse of precip this evening in a Westerly flow. The FL should hover in the 900 meter range most of the day then descend to the valley early Sunday morning. A cold upper  level trough will bring unsettled weather Sunday with the possibility of some isolated flurries. A modified arctic outbreak will bring colder temperatures and North wind for the beginning of next week. The next snow should arrive Wednesday night into Thursday. Guesstimates 5-10 cm by Sunday morning.

    Westerly flow today with light snow by this afternoon, cold front for tonight.

    Saturday night into early Sunday morning.

    Looking unsettled Sunday, cold upper level trough.

     Much cooler air flows in aloft Sunday into Monday in a Northerly flow.

    Monday is looking interesting!!


ARTICLES:

Mountain Skills--Good, Better, Beacon Practise: Backcountry Magazine

Avalanche warning issued in Montana: GNFAC

Stevens Pass Ski Patrol Resource: Washington State

Snowing in Hawaii: Surfing/Skiing




OBSERVATIONS:

Thanks to Brent Phillips of Spearhead Mountain Guides for the observations and photo:

Pit off Ipsoot Dec 1, 2016. Run Raltney. N asp 30* 2000m ~ 2m above crust. CTM 15(RP) down 30 DTTH 27 (BRK)down 187. Things feel tight. Gl well filled in but still some small holes at toes of gl and moats around rocks.

            Pit from Dec 1, 2016.                                                                     Evan Stevens Image

   

Daniel O'Keefe Dec 2, 2106
260cm HS on east aspect backside of Flute. 15cm easy to trigger storm slab in wind affected areas but otherwise pretty stable at treeline and below. Well settled snowpack down to November crust prevalent at 170 and moist below that to ground. Riding was excellent!

     East Aspect of Flute                                                                                  Daniel O'Keefe Image

    T Bars on Whistler were the highest lift access Friday!!

   T-Bog Training.

    Awesome conditions for December Second.