14 Nov - snow to valley bottom

It snowed about 25cm at 800m in Hakuba, or so I'm told. Currently I'm in Lake Louise, and the picture is exactly what I'm looking at outside my window as I take the day off to study and catch up on work.

Regular Hakuba early season updates will not start until christmas as I'll be out of the country until then. In the meantime if any regular readers get out into the backcountry please drop me a note here with snowpack observations.

Comments

Submitted by Andre on 16 November 2012 - 2:12pm.

It's hard to look at these photos while sitting in Sydney!!

Submitted by Damian on 17 November 2012 - 2:45pm.

It is hard to sit in these mountains knowing that 4 million people live in Sydney.

Submitted by Arnaud on 22 November 2012 - 1:54pm.

Hi Damian,

Hope Sunshine/L Louise treat you well. Went out riding Nov 16th, was at Tateyama. Sunshine after 2-3 days of fairly heavy snows and W-NW winds. That day saw fairly steep rise in temps as winds turned, coming from the SW intra-day. Despite heavy snow and winds the snow was surprsingly consolidated throughout the day. I did not dig a pit but probed w/ pole as deep as could go and could not feel any layering. An avalanche released naturally in a gully facing east off mount Oyama very early in the morning. I am guessing a wind-formed cornice broke off but cannot confirm that, even though on one of my pics if I strain my eyes the top part may look like it may have been a slab. Saw a guy there after the fact having a look at it, maybe there's something on Nadare.com. Rode on a N and later NW facing slope. Everything I rode was very stable. On the NW ride I cut the slope at around 2850m before dropping in and nothing released. There was maybe a very thin crust from wind + sun but not sure worth mentionning. I then dropped in and it was all very stable but I took a conservative line as I was solo. That that's all the info I can give you. You can find pics and vid here: http://japanpeuf.50.forumer.com/2012-11-15-tateyama-t1251155.html . Have fun in Canada.

Submitted by Arnaud on 22 November 2012 - 2:12pm.

arrrrrh, avi was on W-facing not E... Need a coffee.

Submitted by Damian on 27 November 2012 - 1:49pm.

Hi Arnaud, good on you for being there. Looks like the wind really got on it. Not surprised. Also not surprised that there was a natural cycle after that storm. Thanks for the info and links to your pictures. They are great.

Canada is going well. Been in Revelstoke, Banff, Lake Louise, Canmore and now Golden. Whistler next week.

cheers
damian