[MCR] White Pyramid, Banff National Park, April 13th, 2014

Four members of Parks Canada Visitor Safety skiied White Pyramid today. Here is what we found:

Weather:
Great freeze overnight (-15 at 0700 at the parking) and a bluebird, calm day. Light north wind at ridgetop kept things cold on the summit. +2 at the parking lot at 1330 and the crust was starting to break down on solar aspects at lower elevations.

Avalanche activity:
Minor sluffing out of steep solar terrain, but things were holding together quite well when we left at 1330.

Ski conditions:
5-10cm of low density snow on top of a temperature crust below 2000m and a firm base above.  Excellent, fast powder skiing with minimal sluffing in steep terrain.

Glacier coverage:
90- 300cm on the summit glacier with crevasses and sags visible, but where we skiied, the bridges felt strong.

We rated the avalanche danger low at all elevations with our primary concerns being cornice failures and wet loose avalanches from daytime heating.

Ian Jackson
ACMG Mountain Guide
Visitor Safety Technician | Technicien Sécurité de Visiteurs
Banff, Yoho, Kootenay National Parks | Parcs Natiounaux Banff, Yoho, Kootenay
Parks Canada | Parcs Canada
www.parksmountainsafety.ca | www.parcsecuritemontagne.ca

experience PROPER AWESOME / vivez l'expérience: PUREMENT GÉNIAL