Hi All

The Chickadee valley has seen a lot of recent activity, I suspect a good number of the laid off lifties were out this week.

It's always a little cold in the Divide parking lot, but we all met and geared up (No carpools). The trail looked very well used. The slide paths off of Boom mountain showed a lot of activity, both of the skier and avalanche activity varieties. A lot of point releases, and many of them ran much further than I would have expected.

The first hanging valley on the Whymper side, (which the Ramblers visited a couple times earlier this year) showed much less point release activity but had not avoided the attention of the skiers, It also looked rather wind effected, so we continued down the valley, thinking this would end up as touring day.

Further along we found a slope leading up to a hanging valley on the Whymper side, and observing a couple of skiers well up the up track, decided to give the area a go.

The first run on the up valley side of the slope was distinctly variable, but as we worked back down valley the conditions improved due to shade from Whymper.

I have recently gone AT after 30 years of Tele skiing and had my first binding releases. One involving a fall, the other a heal release where I actually stepped back down.... Interesting technology. All other falls by myself and others were on flat terrain.... Normally flat light could be blamed, but the sparsely clouded skies could not be held responsible.

Thanks to the crew for a great day, much needed in these times.

Participants: Kim, David, Gordon, Jenny, Mark.

Looking up towards the head of Chickadee Valley

David on the uptrack

Chickadee Valley, looking across towards to Boom Lake

A well used slope