This post sponsored by our publishing partner Cripple Creek Backcountry. They’ll help you toss the ski binding salad.
Margus, Sharon and I set out on a sunny Duffey day to wander around the north arm of the Cayoosh drainage, here in British Columbia, to see if Million Dollar Couloir was in good shape and if it was, to ski it. All three of us had done it before. During the prior weekend, one of this winter’s typical British Columbia coastal snow dumps had produced an exceptionally deep snowpack.
South facing “shot” (an avalanche path) off Rock and Roll Ridge – a possibility for the day.
The southwest winds accompanying the snow dump changed to northeast and northwest winds on Sunday. We got arctic temperatures come Monday. Shar and I went out Sunday in the Whistler area. We found good tree-sifted snow below treeline on southwest and south aspects. On Monday we climbed Duffey and found excellent snow on south aspects below the alpine ridge.
Tuesday found us one valley west of our Monday trip, skinning up the north arm of Cayoosh Creek. Temps were still cold; -13 C at valley bottom, but winds were nil, sky clear.
