[CookieMonster]

These images are great. Does anyone have more precise positional information for some of these photographs, i.e. UTM or Lat/Long coordinates?
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int Snow = 1; int Rainier = 1; int Selkirks = 1; If ( ( Snow + Rainer ) || ( Snow + Selkirks ) > 1 ) { CookieMonster.Ski(); }

[Nick D]

I have a horrible feeling that the dreaded "pollen beast" is back - welcome to Spring . I went up Cypress on Victoria Day and skied the Sky Chair lift line, Humpty Dumpty and Horizon in the rain. Back at the parking lot I inspected my bases to see an obnoxious black goo.

Now maybe this is the residue of multiple passes over the runs by the diesel powered grooming gear - but it looked horribly like the stuff on my skis last May in the Baker bc at Mount Winchester, which destroyed my skin glue when I put them back on so they wouldn't stick.

I'm thinking this is another argument for Karhu's XCD waxless skis in the PNW spring/summer. If you take lower angle traverses then you can get away with having to use skins with the attendant pollution problems. I have a pair of 10th Mountains, which are probably going to get a lot of action over the next few months.

Anyway, on the bright side, on my climb up I picked up a toonie, a loonie and two quarters in the snow - I also saw a few cents in the snow as well, but I'm not bending for chump change

[Rebob]

Well, pollen's a drag, but these photos of the weekend carnage near Whistler are really sobering.

Not my photos, but they are making the rounds. As most local folks know, the alpine lifts on Blackcomb were closed for half the weekend because of the snowpack going isothermal and the early season PWKL's still in play. I toured last on Friday and it wasn't pleasant. Headed for the valley at 1230 because of a very spooky feeling snowpack. Things were just starting to go very big in the alpine.

First shot is of the North Face of Flute. Skied all season, but when it went isothermal, deep releases with a fair runout. The deposits are deep enough that they're unlikely to melt out this season.



Second shot is known locally as Heavenly Bowl. Slide runs from above groomed cat-track through heavily moguled ski run into large bowl. I'm not so sure this is December 4th, however, as the depth in places is much closer to the ground. There were two other crust complexes, one from late October and the other from November that might have been in play here. I've never seen this go like this and the mountain is saying that it's never happened in 25 years. I worked Blackcomb the first two seasons, and I don't remember it going like that in the spring, so it may be that it's been 28 years without releasing like that.



Good show that the patrol closed the alpine. On Friday, there were times when the Heavenly Bowl probably had over 100 skiers on it at a time.

[sandy]

Wow!

Rebob - any idea what layer they are failing on?

They look almost to ground - is that Dec 5?

Looks like we will need to be extra careful on this year's spring ski traverse - leaving on the Misty traverse on Wednesday.

[Rebob]

Hey Sandy. Most big slides appear to be going on 071204 (our event was the day before Revelstoke's but it's the same layer). But we're not all in agreement on that. Some folks feel it's actually a November layer that's releasing. It's actually very creepy and I haven't been out since 080516 because it all feels rather "unpredictable."

There were three big slopes I decided not to cross on 080516 and each of them went in the next 24 hours. Canoeing has been good.

The biggest issue in releases seems to be the lack of a significant diurnal temperature range during strong warm flows. Many of the failures occurred on northern slopes in the a.m. hours. There is a very thick layer of isothermal even beneath radiational re-freezes that is not confidence inspiring.

Be careful out there. Looking forward to the report.

[LeeL]

[sandy]

Hi Lee:

North to south, but with a "new" exit out to Fire Lake as no-one wanted to do the day long car shuttle/boat for the Pitt exit.

Beta is always appreciated ....

[skiter]

[Rebob]

Normally. It's just like an extra long winter.

We have some summers where alpine meadows do not melt out before the next season's snow falls. The perennials end up blooming just fine the next season, as do the annuals. It's just like the summer didn't happen.

If the temps are two warm under the snow, however, there is a mold that can attack conifers and destroy needles and branches.

[LeeL]

Writeup - http://www.leelau.net/2008/harvey2008_05_24/

Inspired by spring skiing exploits from other parts of the world and reluctant to get back on the bike permanently, I hatched the plan of biking up trails to the Lions, then climbing Mt Harvey and skiing down. I hadn't been to Harvey's peak in almost 11 years and figured it was high time for a return. This time, I managed to talk Jon and Trevor into this. Pickup from North Vancouver at 3:!5 am and we were off.

[LeeL]

Flute May 21st

[Rebob]

LeeL, that Flute Avy looks like an approaching glacier.

Amazing shot.

[PNW Skier]

LeeL, those Mt. Harvey photos rock.

Hooray for skiing with a view of the sea. I miss the PNW (I'm living in France for the year, and won't be home till the snow's gone).

Mitch should put this one up as a cover shot.

I remember being on nearby Mt. Brunswick during a summer snowstorm about 20 years ago. Quite a place. I wouldn't want to ski it, I don't think...

[forestjon]

has anyone been up Blackcomb or the general area lately? I'm wondering if things are freezing up or at least firming up over night.

[Rebob]

Haven't been up high, but don't expect it's been freezing much looking at the overnight temps. Lot's of settlement, however, as the snow gauge is dropping very quickly. Tonight is clear and forecast low is only 1C, so there will be a refreeze tonight; however, the temps have risen quickly each day this week.

Hiked to 1300m today and didn't cross a snow patch, even on the north side of features. The snowline is moving up rather quickly.