Another Big Month at Lake Louise
Posted: March 4, 2011 Filed under: Winter 2011-12 Leave a comment »The snow just keeps on comin’ at Lake Louise, as February went out much like January did – near the top of the list for monthly snowfall totals. While not quite as impressive as January’s second best on record (since the 1930′s), February did still come in the top ten February’s ever with a total of 94cm, beating the ten-year average for that month by almost 40cm. So, since January 1, Lake Louise has received around 2.5m of snow, and anyone who skied here before and after the new year will clearly understand how much snow like that can completely transform the mountain.
Cold temperatures and strong winds have also held their usual places in the weather patterns of Lake Louise, and both have combined with the snowfall to get us where we are today. Along with the increased snow depth, the makeup of the snowpack has changed as well, and confidence in the stability of slopes that have yet to open this season is increasing. A number of days with good light and not-quite-as-crazy amounts of snowfall have allowed avalanche control teams to not only keep previously opened terrain open, but also to get into places that haven’t yet opened so they can work towards that goal.
North Cornice - March 3, 2011
