Huge amounts of powder yesterday morning with snow falling and big gusts. Around 30 or so centimetres fell in the valley and in the alpine more snow combined with strong winds meant lee slopes will have been heavily loaded.
Beautiful blue skies and cold temperatures today plus gondola and higher lift operation yesterday means big smiles powder lines and face shots a plenty today…
Backcountry Travel Advisory:
Strong winds on Saturday have created thick wind slabs on South and South East aspects that may be unstable in steep convexing terrain. Combine this with the recent heavy snow and one could expect instability in steeper North and South aspects. Take due care around exposed rocks and sparse trees on solar aspects and in steep lee slopes. The recent snow is very variable in depth due to the wind and solar radiation so be aware of this when entering into slopes and stay away from shallow snow on steep entrances in to chutes and open slopes.
Avalanche Hazard:
Alpine: High
Tree line: Considerable
Below Tree Line: Moderate
See Below for International Danger scale classifications or click on the Canadian Avalanche Association web page for the International Danger Scale.
TEMPERATURE IN THE VILLAGE:
-6 degrees C.
TEMPERATURE AT TOP OF MOUNTAIN:
-10 degrees C.
WIND:
Light Westerlies with some gusts.
VISIBILITY:
Excellent
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Happo-One:
BASE DEPTH: 145 cm(at the base); 280 cm(at 1500m)
Goryu/47:
BASE DEPTH:155 cm(at the base); 355 cm(at 1500m)
Tsugaike Kogen:
BASE DEPTH: 180 cm(at the base); 310 cm(at 1500m)
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LIFT OPERATION:
Goryu Toomi, Hakuba 47, Happo-One, Tsugaike Kogen, Iwatake, Cortina, Sanosaka, Sun Alpina, Minekata, Hakuba Highland, Yanaba, all open