From Fluff to Crust or Corn...
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One thing to think about when planning a trip is time of day. Many Back Country trips start early in the morning and end in the evening. Setting you up for a whole day of varied temps and conditions. This means that you are going to have to deal with many different types of surface conditions because of variation in temperature.
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Early morning and shaded conditions:
If you are starting out in the morning through shaded trees then get ready for icy conditions even if the sun is already out. These icy conditions will mean that getting a good foot hold might not be the easiest thing. That is why it is always good to have a boot with a ridged sole. When the sole of your boot is nice and stiff it makes it easier to kick into the surface and climb steeper sections. Trying to do this with a soft boot can destroy feet and make for a very hard climb. The design of a ski boot tend to be a good tool for this type of surface condition. The pointed tops acts as a nice step maker. The people behind you on the trail will soon become your best friends because of the nice steps you are creating.
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Mid day and warm conditions:
One thing to think about as the day goes on is the angle of the sun. Sections of the slope that receive sun in the morning will receive shade in the evening and vice versa. As the day goes on and the snow warms up the ground surface and conditions tend to become more unstable. Making slides and rock falls more likely to happen. Skiing steep lines on a warm day in the afternoon can be risky because the snow is at its most unstable and it makes avalanche conditions more likely.
Trekking in these conditions can be harder work because it take less effort to break through the snow. This is when surface area comes into play. Something with more surface area on a warm slope will make for an
easier trek because it will be easier to stay above the snow. Breaking trail in deep snow can be very tiring and makes a hundred feet feel like a mile. Snow shoes and AT set ups can be life savers in conditions like this.
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Late day cooler conditions:
Once the sun starts to go down the snow surface tends to cool rapidly and typically forms what is called a crust. The crust can be hard and firm while the layer below it is still soft and easy to sink into. If you
are caught in conditions like this it is always good to watch your step because breaking through a crust layer can cause injury to the legs. having skis on or snow shoes is always best in conditions like this. It
is wise to get your turns in earlier during the day rather than later. On sunny days this effect tends to be more of an issue. It is always a good idea to try and avoid the crust effect.
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