January Snow Conditions

rknight111

Administrator
Administrator
Moderator
Joined
Sep 27, 2006
Messages
13,676
Reaction score
23,392
Location
Parkland County, AB and Valemount, BC
Website
www.snowandmud.com
This occurred just past the waterfalls where it drops fast into the valley, I always refer to that as a luge run, then you hook to the left. That hill came down filling the valley, rather than taking the luge run back up cause it can be rocky we shoot up that hill.
 
Last edited:

knh208

Active member
Joined
Feb 20, 2011
Messages
112
Reaction score
144
Location
Saskatoon, SK
Three of us rode Bell yesterday. Lots of untracked snow deep in the trees. Probed it and there is only 5.5 ft. Everything outside the trees is wind blown and tracked out. Lots of open creeks.

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk
 

Summit_Steve

Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2015
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
Location
Central Alberta
Whenever someone has a chance of they could post something on snow conditions & Avalanche risk. There was a group of us heading out mid-week, our wives are quite concerned with us going now. I'm sure it'll be fine, but one of those things if something bad happened... Any information would be helpful.
 

d mills

Active VIP Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2009
Messages
3,275
Reaction score
4,982
Location
camrose
Whenever someone has a chance of they could post something on snow conditions & Avalanche risk. There was a group of us heading out mid-week, our wives are quite concerned with us going now. I'm sure it'll be fine, but one of those things if something bad happened... Any information would be helpful.

Avalanche Canada


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

rknight111

Administrator
Administrator
Moderator
Joined
Sep 27, 2006
Messages
13,676
Reaction score
23,392
Location
Parkland County, AB and Valemount, BC
Website
www.snowandmud.com
Whenever someone has a chance of they could post something on snow conditions & Avalanche risk. There was a group of us heading out mid-week, our wives are quite concerned with us going now. I'm sure it'll be fine, but one of those things if something bad happened... Any information would be helpful.

Be sure your looking on the correct section. Valemount conditions are on a different mountain range and many refer to those ratings. The Renshaw is the North Rockies and not the cariboos. Even if the avalanche ratings are considered for example 'considerable in the Alpine' you need to evaluate the area and situation you are putting your group into to access the area where you are planning to ride. Several of the areas are wind loaded and have very unstable snowpack. If a slope looks like it would be sweet to go sidehill across it and go for a whirl I would'nt just do it. I would think of what your training is in your Avalanche courses, hopefully everyone in the group has this. Also if all other areas are packed with tracks and this nice slope has none, I would evaluate before touching it and say, Hmmm, why has no one gone on this slope? And stay off. Dig a pit in a safe area and check out the layers and take some pics, post them. And be careful, I snowmobile almost every weekend all winter, and am very careful, I feel I am very safe and cautious, if I feel an area is unsafe I voice my opinion and I havn't been challenged by any one Im riding with. If it doesn't feel right then do go there. I am a survivor on an avalanche that occurred in Blue River almost 6 years ago, my friend was not so lucky, and we were both avy trained and aware, we were not playing on this slope but were still in the danger area. So you can ride safe and have a great weekend just use your common sense. I have spoken to Lori at Zacks tracks Friday night and she is surprised that not many are booking avalanche courses lately. If you have taken a course 5 years ago do you think your good today?
Also when picking your parking spot for a break or lunch, look around you, are you in an avalanche path? If the slope gave out around you can you get on your sled and get far away right away? You would be surprised on how fast that snow comes down and how little time you have to even think. So be prepared, have an escape route, always be alert.
Ive noticed that most people have smartened up a lot, and several slopes are untouched when they are risky, good on everyone, Ride on and be safe, you will always return home.
 

bbtoys

Active VIP Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2006
Messages
3,185
Reaction score
4,447
Location
mcbride
Whenever someone has a chance of they could post something on snow conditions & Avalanche risk. There was a group of us heading out mid-week, our wives are quite concerned with us going now. I'm sure it'll be fine, but one of those things if something bad happened... Any information would be helpful.
yes the wives are having a hard time with this, i have had my first cancellation for this weekend and it was due to wives concerns which i fully understand. snow was stable on lucille today and found some stucks but tracked in the main areas. renshaw can't say as i was not up there. for sure north facing slopes i would be careful of and check for windload on any slope.
 

Ewaschuk

Active member
Joined
Oct 17, 2013
Messages
119
Reaction score
222
Location
Alberta
Be sure your looking on the correct section. Valemount conditions are on a different mountain range and many refer to those ratings. The Renshaw is the North Rockies and not the cariboos. Even if the avalanche ratings are considered for example 'considerable in the Alpine' you need to evaluate the area and situation you are putting your group into to access the area where you are planning to ride. Several of the areas are wind loaded and have very unstable snowpack. If a slope looks like it would be sweet to go sidehill across it and go for a whirl I would'nt just do it. I would think of what your training is in your Avalanche courses, hopefully everyone in the group has this. Also if all other areas are packed with tracks and this nice slope has none, I would evaluate before touching it and say, Hmmm, why has no one gone on this slope? And stay off. Dig a pit in a safe area and check out the layers and take some pics, post them. And be careful, I snowmobile almost every weekend all winter, and am very careful, I feel I am very safe and cautious, if I feel an area is unsafe I voice my opinion and I havn't been challenged by any one Im riding with. If it doesn't feel right then do go there. I am a survivor on an avalanche that occurred in Blue River almost 6 years ago, my friend was not so lucky, and we were both avy trained and aware, we were not playing on this slope but were still in the danger area. So you can ride safe and have a great weekend just use your common sense. I have spoken to Lori at Zacks tracks Friday night and she is surprised that not many are booking avalanche courses lately. If you have taken a course 5 years ago do you think your good today?
Also when picking your parking spot for a break or lunch, look around you, are you in an avalanche path? If the slope gave out around you can you get on your sled and get far away right away? You would be surprised on how fast that snow comes down and how little time you have to even think. So be prepared, have an escape route, always be alert.
Ive noticed that most people have smartened up a lot, and several slopes are untouched when they are risky, good on everyone, Ride on and be safe, you will always return home.

Very good post
 

snochuk

Active VIP Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2006
Messages
6,193
Reaction score
20,180
Location
Edmonton
Whenever someone has a chance of they could post something on snow conditions & Avalanche risk. There was a group of us heading out mid-week, our wives are quite concerned with us going now. I'm sure it'll be fine, but one of those things if something bad happened... Any information would be helpful.

Hello S_S. Your question has already been answed on where to get the avy infor you are looking for but.......
By your question I believe it would be safe to say you have not taken any formal avy training yet.
You and your group owe it to your wives totake the training!

Just redid my AST1 classroom training yesterday and my 16 & 18 year old were sitting beside me with 4 other friends just starting their mountain riding adventures.
For all the time and money spent on the sport two days and a few hundred bucks is peanuts.

By the way - it's actaully a fun two days and you are so much more aware of what hazards you can mitigate.
 

youngpolarisguy

Active VIP Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2007
Messages
1,075
Reaction score
448
Location
Wabamun
If you have a smartphone, avalanche canada has a app that works pretty good. Makes it easy to check quick on the drive to the hill incase anything changed over night or what have you.

Sent from my SM-G920W8 using Tapatalk
 
Top Bottom