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.