Synopsis: a high avalanche danger in the alpine for Sunday in the Squamish-Whistler-Duffey corridor had us running away to the east. The theory was that Manning Park would have more stable snow conditions.

Particpants: Nicolas Jimenez, dog Sacha and Paul Kubik.

We approached Mount Frosty (east peak) using the trail from Lightning Lake. At the top of the larch meadows we skied up the north face. We shied away from the last 30 to 50 metres below the summit out of consideration for the elevated avalanche danger. A pit near 2200 m actually showed good cohesion between the new snow and the old wind crust. This emboldened us to descend the direct bowl of the top pitch from our turnaround point. Nothing slid except a harmless small sluff. Rather than descend the trail, we descended Frosty Creek to Lightning Lake and then skied back the 3 km to the parking lot across the lake.

Parking lot at Lightning Lake

Frosty Camp

Our objective is quite obscured. Our route followed the righthand skyline next to the rocky north ridge.

Larch meadows.

Part of the Frosty Mountain Trail near 2100 m.

Testing the bonding of the new snow to the old wind crust. It was quite cohesive.

Pitch #3.

Bottom of pitch #3.

Nicolas.

Nicolas.

Looking up to the col between Frosty's east and west peaks. Our descent route is on the far left.

Closeup of pitch #3 (foreground) and pitch #2 rising behind it.

Frosty Creek.

Those new skiis Paul??

Hey Peter, those are the Hagan Daemons I bought the year before you got yours. I just got them mounted in December. They are skiing well with just a bit more width than the Hagan Unicorns.

How come you're not skiing the backcountry and just the groomers? I finally skied Sigurd north face the one we looked at last June from the top. Ski conditions were not ideal but the avi was moderate.