Dustings of snow, crevasses remain

A lot of BC is hurting for snow right now, but the Coast even seems to be missing a lot of the smaller December storms. The base for Whistler Blackcomb is a mere 89cm with much of the advanced terran still closed due to rock hazards and crevasses. Snowmaking is keeping the resort turning during the busy holidays with ski outs possible to all bases, but Whistler still hasn't received it's usual winter kick-off megastorm.

This means there are a lot more hazards in the backcountry, particularly on glacier crossings. Small snowfalls and crosswinds can cover the gaping crevasses and boulder fields dot all the alpine bowls. Though the avalanche bulletin reads Low across the board, the cold snap a few weeks ago has weakened buried layers in the snowpack and deadly terrain traps loom constantly.

Reports from tourers in the Spearhead say that close-to-home runs like Husume and Corona are holding good snow. These are the best bang for your buck right now as they require no substantial glacier crossings. With Singing Pass out of action any touring in the Fitzsimmons Range has to return via Whistler Mountain, making the short days even shorter.

The photos in this post were taken on December 11 and there hasn't been a whole of snow since then, so be aware of the shown hazards if you're heading out. 

Decker with more holes than usual

Trorey Glacier. Travel around the Spearhead traverse is not recommended yet