Kootenay Pass OBS Nov 30

Things have changed a lot in the last 48hrs.  Skiied up Cornice Ridge today.  Our observations as follows:

Weather

Overcast

Mod-heavy rain and +2 up to 1700m (i.e. just below the summit)

Bridal Lake parking area (1774m) +2 @0930 and +2 at 1430

Cornice ridge 2108m was 0

Snow: S1-2 all day above 1700m

Stability tests

Did not do a full profile but all stability tests were EASY, down 30cm on the recent crust

Avalanche activity

Numerous natural and remote-skiier-triggered avalanches (size 1-2) along the NE aspect of Cornice Ridge (triggered from walking on the ridge itself).  Shooting cracks (see photos) propagated and stepped down.  Fracture crown was 30cm and ran on the crust from earlier this week.  At least one slide ran about 150m.  Also noted a natural size 1.5 in the boulder fields below tree line on the E side of cornice ridge that appeared to have been triggered by a tree bomb.

Frequent shooting cracks on slopes > 15 degrees

Stability we were rating as POOR, POOR, FAIR (although we didn’t ski in the alpine).

Danger rating we are calling:  HIGH, HIGH, CONSIDERABLE.

We chose to ski in mellow angles and in areas of tight tree/shrub cover.  Choose your lines carefully as it is touchy out there and was still snowing hard when we left.