A couple of friends and I made it up to Cameron Pass on Tuesday and found great conditions. A couple weeks worth of mild weather allowed for the consolidation of the snowpack’s upper layers while the weak storm cycle that came through this past weekend dropped several inches of low density precipitation with little wind. Unfortunately the winds picked up Monday night and began their usual cycle of destruction. By Tuesday morning the face was a blank slate with few tracks from the weekend visible, (though soft sastrugi –like wind runnels were obvious on most exposed slopes). Another party of backcountry enthusiasts were skiing the slopes of South Diamond that slid back on January 10th and it looked like they had triggered a small slide near the summit ridge. Other small pockets of natural activity were visible on the center of the face as well.
Note the snow being blown off the ridge.
We lapped Ptarmigan Run several times, enjoying fast and soft turns in boot-top, slightly wind-affected powder. The winds gradually increased and changed direction (from W/NW to due North) and the low-density snow was being stripped off the exposed faces at a rapid pace. We also found some good turns on the SE shoulder of North Diamond. With its exposure to sun and wind this face is best skied immediately following a period of fresh-precipitation and low winds and we got to it just in time. Down in the trees the snow was deep and dreamy.
Derek skinning up N. Diamond. Wind ripples evident.
Pits on E and NE slopes revealed little bonding between the fresh precipitation (which is quickly being re deposited and forming touchy pockets of wind slab) and older layers. The long period of warm weather created a melt-freeze crust (good bed surface) on aspects exposed to the sun, so be weary of what’s below you. That 90cm layer of hard-slab is still down there, resting on nothing but depth hoar, so slides (especially on steeper, unsupported slopes) have the potential to rip big and deep. We’re not out of the woods yet, but good skiing is to be had!
We're not complaining.
Tour safe and have fun,
Kevin L.
– And if you’re thinking about heading to RMNP check out Eli’s site. It looks like he’s been skiing some sweet lines lately and has some cool viddies up highlighting the action.
