Public Observation

Observation Date:

April 15, 2023

Submitted:

April 16, 2023

Zone or Region:

Bishop Creek

Activity:

Skiing/Snowboarding

Location:

Montgomery Peak SW face & Middle Creek beta (Out of forecast area)

Skied Montgomery's SW face via the main couloir yesterday (4/15). Found excellent corn in an amazing feature.

- Temps were very warm and the wind was almost nonexistent.
- Snow varies between wintery and wind effected on north aspects to nice spring snow on east and south aspects.
- There are large cornices on some north facing ridges. Benton peak had large cornices on the ridge between it and the jumpoff.
- East and SE aspects seemed to be heating up faster than SW and W aspects.
- We dropped at 2:50 pm and found excellent corn top to bottom. Down low was a little wallow-y but we never kicked off any loose wet movement, not even very small plates. I wouldn't have wanted to be any later. If anyone does try this line, I'd recommend a much earlier start and drop than we had.
- Around 2pm east and SE faces felt sketchy and looked like a skier would have set off loose wet slides, possibly pretty sizable. I would not have dropped east off Montgomery that late. We chatted with a party that attempted boundary peak that day and they turned around because of softening. Given they had driven all the way around the north end of the whites they must have encountered over ripe snow pretty early (much earlier than we did).
- The approach canyon is an easy hike with no riparian and only one waterfall to climb around. It is legit 4th class to bypass it.
- In the afternoon the snow bridges in the canyon are super sketchy. Be careful around them whether on the east or west side of the crest.
- The main SW line off the summit doesn't go through at the bottom. We were easily able to get into a drainage that did by walking and skiing across two mini drainages, but the snow in them won't last much longer.
- There is massive avy debris in the couloir, but we were able to avoid most of it by skirting the edges.
- Crampons and axe are mandatory.

Attached is a picture of beta for the middle creek drainage that accesses the Jumpoff's east facing cirque. The coverage is pretty insane down there, and I highly recommend getting on terrain out there! The eastern aspects of Boundary, Montgomery, and the Jumpoff are amazing runs, look to be in great condition, and are well worth the effort. If you are really jonesing for obscure lines in the whites, the SW face of Montgomery is in good condition and has good coverage right now.

Did you observe any avalanches?

Yes

Avalanche Type:

Wet Loose

Size:

Size 3: Could bury and destroy a car, damage a truck, destroy a wood frame house, or break a few trees

Elevation:

~10000' (NTL/Alpine)

Aspect:

Comments:

Unsure of the date of slides. Many large slides went off Benton peak's N aspect, and there are still cornices up there and winter-y snow that could slide. I would avoid being around them late in the day. Not sure how this would apply to N slopes on the east side of the crest.

None reported

Looking down the main line from near the top. Coverage is a little thin up top but good considering the exposure to the wind. We had to walk down a short distance to get to the snow. On east aspects you could have dropped directly from the summit. In the background is the N face of Benton peak. The cornices are visible and you can see the winter-y snow that is still there and could slide.

Middle Creek beta. The best approach and descent route for the Jumpoff is marked in green. It takes the drainage one left (down canyon) from the main drainage from the cirque. That line avoids the thick vegetation directly below the east cirque (red X). I'd recommend against trying Montgomery's east face from Middle creek. Access it from Trail canyon like you would in the summer and ascend out and back into trail canyon via the col north of Boundary. That way avoids thick vegetation.