Quick report
- Cracking
- specific
Toured up and down Red Cone's East slope on 12/30 and again on 12/31. Though the skin track had been seemingly getting worse, the snowpack felt even more consolidated on 12/31. Great riding and beautiful weather. A bit of snow available for transport and moving around in the Red Cone bowl, but on 12/31 winds were minor measuring 5-8mph on the crest. Overall, both beautiful days that showed to me that our snowpack is getting better and better, opening more terrain until our next storm(s)! The only thing to note was the specific cracking and sliding found on 35+ degree slopes, east aspects at around 9700'. On the decent on both days, I got into the cliffs that ride the ridge that splits the Horseshoe and George watersheds. These cracks were triggered from the weight of me riding, but were pretty insignificant (see pics). About 3-5 cms in both locations. I chose specific rather than isolated as these locations were about 130 meters apart, though very similar aspects... but do with that what you will. I descended two different lines on the east slope each day, and both were full of great snow! The top 30 meters of the ridge held a wind crust, but below that was good riding all the way back to the groomers. Snowpack At 10,300' I measured 115 - 120 cm HS at two separate locations at that elevation on both days. On 12/31, I measured a few feet next to my measurements on 12/30. And then took additional measurements at a location 1/2 west on the ridge at about 10,400'. In both locations... the first notable crust was 35-45 cm down into the pack, but was weaker on 12/31 than 12/30. Snow below that was still sugary, but seems less so than the facets that I observed last week towards the base of the snowpack. (10,200' NE aspect). Happy New Year yall!