Quick report
No signs of instability or recent avalanches.
Variable travel conditions and upper snowpack structure: Slick crusts on solars (E-S-W). Soft dry snow on steep northerly slopes. Wind textured surfaces and drifts near mid-elevation ridgetops and (presumably) at upper elevations.
Weather
- Cloud Cover
- overcast
- Wind Loading
- light
- Recent Snowfall
- 5
- Snow Avail For Transport
- small smounts
Up to 5cm of HST from the 3/29 storm remains on shaded and steep, northerly slopes. High clouds were broken in the AM, but quickly thickened. At 5,400ft ridge-top, westerly winds were light with moderate gusts. Gusts brought a few bursts of light, blowing snow.
Snowpack
Summary
Most slopes, except for steep NE-NW, showed some degree of sun effects, though this varied significantly with subtle changes in aspect, slope angle, and shade. Sun-exposed E-S-W have firm crusts from the surface through the older 3/25 crust. Shaded areas, even on S, (immediately shaded by trees, ridges, or other features) held up to 4cm of dry snow over the 3/29 crust. Even low-angle NE and NW had light surface crusts.
Steep NW-NE held deep, soft snow and excellent ski conditions. 5cm of recent HST was over the 3/29 layer, which was either a very soft crust or a mix of rounds, melt-forms, and facets. I found some near-surface facets, both near the surface and mixed in with rounds in the 3/29 layer ↓5cm. However, this wasn't overly pronounced. The relatively soft layers from the storms of the 25th and 29th rest on the stout 3/25 crust ↓~30cm. Generally, the top 30cm were showing signs of rounding with recent warmer temperatures.
At ridge-top, near 5,500ft, we found wind-textured older drifts and some leeward slopes scoured to the 3/25 crust. Most drifts were capped with firm sun crusts.
Surfaces (and just under)
Variable!
SE-SW: firm surface crusts have merged with 3/25 crust and everything in between.
E, W, and low-angle WNW, ENE: 1-3cm of recent HST on the 3/29 crust
Steep NW-NE: 5cm recent HST (some FCsf) on the soft 3/29 layer of rounds and facets. Mostly soft, dry snow in the top 30cm. 3/25 crust ↓28-35cm.
Profiles
Upper Nason Creek, NW, 4386ft, 15*
HS 250cm
0-5cm: F+, new snow
5-8cm: 1F, crust, 3/29
8-21cm: 4F+, DF, rounds
21-28cm: 1F, MF, rounds
28-35: P+, crust, 3/25
See profile image
Sky Mtn, N, 5,120ft, 40*
0-5cm: F+, new snow
5-8cm: 4F, RG/MF/FCsf 0.5/1.0mm, 3/29 layer
Avalanche
No new avalanches