Conditions Report: Pockets of Pow
Sledding in Golden is all about milking the powder pockets of goodness from last week’s heavy dumpage. For those willing to search, there are still virgin bowls waiting to be shredded, for others who want to stay closer, there’s still smaller sections of untouched. We’ve had approximately 30cms of fresh in the past week and there’s 15-20cms more in the forecast. Avalanche conditions remain considerable on all three elevations and the Avalanche.ca SPAW has been extended. Grooming operations are back to normal and in full effect.
Wheelie good time in Quartz on Mar 6
Epic views at Quartz on Mar 6
Searching deeper for the goods on Mar 7
Riley Suhan Race 2024!
And in other big news the Riley Suhan Invitation Race is ON! Mark April 6 on your calendars and sign up soon if you want to guarantee a spot!
Travel
TCH-1 Highway
BIG NEWS! Highway 1 is fully open east of Golden with NO scheduled stoppages and overnight closures: Kicking Horse Canyon Calendar
Warning! – Just east of Quartz the frost heaves are worse than ever this year. Slow down if you’re hauling weight…
CALL YOUR KMS! Please note there is a lot of industrial traffic on the Dogtooth FSR this year. Grab a radio and call up on RR27
Snow & Weather
SNOW AND WEATHER
Last week we had a monster dump that brought 1.5 metres of new snow. This week we still had another 25-30. In other words, there’s a lot of snow. We’re almost at seasonal norms and Quartz cabin only has 2 steps showing up to the deck. There’s been a lot of settling in the snowpack and some wind transport. The fluffy storm day pow is gone but there’s a deep layer of fresh where the snow is undisturbed.
After a few cold days mid-week, temps are warming up and shoot bring some more snow with them. We’re expecting 15-20cms this week. Spring squalls bring quick accumulations but then make way for sunny periods.
Mellow terrain in Quartz on Mar 6
cars parked near quartz after the storm
deep snow on Feb 28 that brought us up to seasonal norms
Snowforecast near quartz on Mar 8
Avalanche Safety
Avalanche Conditions
Check Avalanche.ca everyday you ride!
From Avalache.ca on March 8: “Triggering large avalanches is a serious concern as illustrated in this PHOTO BLOG.
Stick to low-angle slopes, avoid overhead hazards, and choose smaller objectives.”
Travel and Terrain Advice from March 8:
- Conservative terrain selection is critical, choose only well supported, low consequence lines.
- Avoid being on or under sun exposed slopes.
- Remote triggering is a concern, watch out for adjacent and overhead slopes.
- Be aware of the potential for large, destructive avalanches due to the presence of deeply buried weak layers.
zoom in on this image and see a massive dust cloud from a slide in Lang on March 2
Grooming
Grooming
Grooming is back to normal after the storm. The crew has been keeping the parking lots clear and trails smooth.
FRESH groomer in Quartz on March 6
Staging Areas Latest Info
Quartz Creek
Silent Pass
parking lot cleared on Feb 26.
