Backcountry Ski/Snowboard - Brian Waddington Hut

The forest service road had sketchy snow coverage lower down.   We we able to drive a high clearance vehicle up to 990 meters with the packs and two of the group of six.     The forest trail section starting at 1250 meters was very challenging with the poor snow coverage.   The trail had bare sections, ice covered sections, open creeks, downed trees.   Fastest progress in the section was made by booting wearing crampons or microspikes.   Arrived at the hut well after dark.   Trail well marked with reflective orange markers so routefinding via standard headlamp went OK.

Above the hut, there was maybe 5 cm new snow reasonably bonded to the rain crust.   Below 1950 meters you could feel and hear the crust under fluff,  but it skiied OK.   Above 1950 meters the fluff was thicker and it skied smoother.     Mostly skied slopes 30 degrees or lesser angle.   Did a ski cut test on a 35 degree slope and triggered a small sluff.