Tuesday 29th December 2009

Weather conditions: Sunny, Blue sky day
New snowfall: Trace (village) 5 cm (Goryu Top)
Snow depth: 125 cm (Goryu base) 185 cm (Goryu top)
What an amazing day! Blue bird skies, light winds from the North west and temperatures on the mountain hovering around -4. A great day to be out on the resorts or in the Backcountry due to the great visibility and stabilizing snow pack. The resorts are not crowded considering it is almost the New Years. The runs are hard packed groomed and fast at the bottom and soft packed groomed at elevation. The snow off piste at elevation is soft and fluffy boot high powder from the intermittent flurries that we have had over the last 2 days.

There is a storm on the rise and expected to hit tomorrow night and keep snowing for the week. So even though there may be some great parties on the 31st/1st remember there is also going to be some great tracks to be had on the morning of the 1st. Hope you can make it out.

Presently the avalanche hazard is declining and the pack is settling out but remember that there will be a melt freeze crust on the southern aspects and a wind slab on the Northern aspects. There may also be some surface hoar on these surfaces after clear nights last night and tonight. Take due precaution on steep convex terrain around rocky outcrops and below ridges and cornices. Stay to supported terrain as the new snow starts to fall or stay in bounds until it settles.

Present avalanche conditions:
Considerable (in the alpine)
Moderate (in the tree line)
Moderate (below tree line)

High alpine has changed from considerable to high. Expect a melt freeze crust on south facing aspects and significant wind loading on north aspects. Surface hoar observed on all aspects above 1700m, this may become an issue as we see accumulation on top of this layer.

Official resort snow depths on 29th Dec 09:

Happo-one:
70cm (Shirakaba)
75cm (Sakka/Kitaone)
190cm (Kurobishi/Usagidaira)
Hakuba Goryu:
100cm (Iimori)
120cm (Toomi)
185cm (Alps daira)
Hakuba 47:
155cm
Tsugaike Kogen:
80cm (Kanenonaruoka)
75cm (Maruyama)
185cm (Tsuganomori)
Hakuba Iwatake:
70cm (Shomen)
100cm (Sancho)
Sun Alpina Sanosaka:
75cm