Quick report
For being the first observation of the season in the Eddy mountains, I'm pleased to say that snow coverage on all aspects and elevations is quite splendid for this time of year. Feasting my eyes on the surrounding terrain, no new or old avalanches could be seen, and feedback from the snowpack presented very little concern for avalanche danger.
Minor cracking was initiated when stomping on wind lips and rock pillows. This could infer that larger terrain features on northerly aspects may harbor potential wind slab instabilities.Weather
- Cloud Cover
- few
- Wind Loading
- none
- Recent Snowfall
- 29
- Snow Avail For Transport
- moderate amounts
Low clouds sat in valleys bottoms, while the mountains stood high and dry under a clear blue sky. Winds were calm, temperatures barely peaked above freezing levels, and the sun shown bright.
Snowpack
A snowpack depth of 60–30 inches exists near treeline, dependent on what aspect you're on. Northerly aspects hold the most snow, and best coverage. Today, southerly aspects experienced the force of the sun and surfaces began to dampen. Exposed terrain features held minimal to moderate wind effect and surface texture. Cornices development on north and northeast aspects could be seen off in the distance on larger terrain features.
Anywhere from 5-12+ inches of surface snow is present near and below treeline. This snow sits atop the November 21st rain crust, which was observed on all aspects and elevations. The crust can support the weight of a rider, but can still be penetrable by boot in areas below treeline. With no precipitation in sight, it will be prudent to observe the development of snow surfaces for storms to come.