Thar Peak - coquihalla conditions - Jan 3, 2011

Changing it up a bit from touring and skiing near the resorts, Sharon, Ewen and I headed out to Thar Peak in the Coquihalla. Unfortunately the artic outflow winds have played havoc with the snowpack and we found wind-slab on all manner of aspects above treeline (particularly the aspects we skied off Thar Peak proper and the Yak-Thar col including the zone heading down to the lake – W, SW, N and NE aspects – basically all aspects – you get the idea).

Unfortunately S and SE aspects are also sun-affected and had solar melt-freeze crust). Regardless snow stability is fine. We managed to salvage the day by lapping a NE facing slope below tree line.

Notes – windslab persistent on many aspects. Temps – 5 to -2. Skies initially overcast then clear. Winds light from the NE. On SE slope at 1800m HS 250m without much in the way of layering to report even up to 150cms down. Minor pinwheeling on solar aspects. Snow quality better on N, NE aspects btl

To see the pictures without all the ad crap cluttering everything see http://www.leelau.net/2011/tha.....011-01-03/

Heading up from the High Falls pullout

Thar Peak – 1940m

Ewan dropping off Thar Peak down SE slopes

Sharon – 600m run

Shar making short work of some sun-crust

Ewan and Shar traversing under some cliffbands – needs more snow there to become pillowland

Going for another lap = Coquihalla Mtn in the backdrop

NE slopes yield decent quality snow