AVALANCHE ACTIVITY:
Two bodies recovered, two missing in Swiss avalanche rescue operation. Story in article section.
Cornice trimming in Glacier Bowl from Friday.
Locally, not much activity, 2 Sz 1.5 Sc on the Duffey. Some wet loose Na Sz 1-2 on steep solar.
YESTERDAY:
First light Saturday morning.
Awesome light in the morning before the cloud thickened.
Cumulus cloud development Saturday morning.
Be aware of cornice debris in the bowls.
Overcast in the afternoon.
Flurries at 16:30 hrs.
More breaks at days end.
Saturday afternoon.
Big picture on Saturday.
Weather Observations for March 18, 2018 taken at 06:00 Hours.
2180 meters -6, Winds were 5-10 KPH NNE--Whistler Peak
1835 meters -6, Winds were 5-10 KPH NNE --Roundhouse
1660 meters -6, 0 cm new, trace in 24 hrs Base 294 cm --Pig Alley
660 meters -4, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was +8.8, 0.0 mm of precip recorded yest
As of 07:00 Hrs we have high scattered cloud and unlimited visibility.
FORECAST:
The broad upper level low will bring unsettled weather to our zone for the next few days. Today should be mostly sunny but with this pattern its difficult to know exactly the timing of the breaks and flurries. The upper flow will be Southwesterly switching to Easterly this evening. The freezing level may go up to 1300 meters. Monday is looking more cloudy than sun, with some flurries possible. Tuesday as well. Wednesday is looking unsettled. A more organised front should arrive Thursday night for some needed snow as a deep upper low sends us a pacific front. Friday is looking unsettled as well.
Guesstimates: 0 cm by Monday morning, trace-1 cm by Tuesday morning, 2-6 cm by Wednesday morning, 2-6 cm by Thursday morning, 10-15 cm by Friday morning.
GOES IR image from this am.
Upper level low well off the coast, mostly sunny skies for today.
Some cloud likely to slip into the mix.
Upper low will hopefully stay South.
Fronts along the coast.
More cloud for Monday.
Mostly cloudy in Whistler.
INFORMATION & OBSERVATIONS:
Making snow on the Horstman Glacier.
Saint Paddys Day
Sign at the top of Glacier Express Chair.
Sandhill Cranes migrating North.
Flurries started at around 13:15 Hrs.
Cloudy by 13:30 Hours, convective flurries in the afternoon.
Recent Avalanche Canada MIN reports:
Marriot Basin
Brohm Ridge
Elfin Lakes
Matier Glacier Area
From South Coast Touring:
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Quick trip report from a Black Tusk ascent on March 15th. Snow conditions ranged from bullet proof down low to wind crust up high with variations of powder/sun affected in between. We began skinning about 2km up the switchback trail. Snow seemed stable, however there are large cornices on the tusk and col below it. Chimney is in good condition with plenty of stability for booting. Get after it while the skin track and boot pack are still in place! Thanks to the two guys who beat us to the punch in the morning and laid in the track, you're the real MVP. Pro tip: don't drive up to the lot regardless of how sweet you think your 4X4 is. We got to spend a lovely 4 hours waiting for some of Whistler's finest to get up to us and winch us out of snow once it had hardened in the evening.
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| Melt-freeze conditions in the North Shore at the moment, which made for quick travel along the HSCT. We skiied down out below Lions around 12:30 pm and it was still quite firm. Bootpacking begins shortly below the bridge over Harvey Creek, i.e. below about 800 m elevation. |
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ARTICLES:
Second avalanche victim found as search for two more continues:
Switzerland
Four legged rescuers up the odds for surviving an avalanche:
Calgary Hearld
Information on Cornices:
AIARE
Squaw Valley worker emerges from avalanche wrecked, but alive:
California
