Quick report
- Red Flags
- Recent Avalanches
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Recent avalanche issues as reported from the Silver Fork Headwall continue to provide reliable feedback and information regarding the likelihood of triggering and releasing the very large Cornices that are widespread around the region. Of note, one of these suspects is still in place in Pagan Basin, and this ridgeline and Cornice has very similar/like terrain characteristics as seen in Silver Fork. Poor snowpack structure continues to remain a possibility and still difficult to dismiss, despite it's dormancy for several weeks now. Also of note, the steep headwall of Pagan is a repeater offender with the latest significant release on 1/19. Since then abundant snowfall in the range of 3 meters has fallen, yet the upper rocky starting zones are most likely much shallower, and this is the kind of terrain where this problem may still exist. </p>
Extremely cold temperatures may help promote NSF-ing in the light density surface snow over the next few days, and the very light density snow flurries forecast may keep the potential for Loose Dry alive. In some of the areas traveled today very steep rollovers were yielding small/manageable sluffing. Yet, if one were in a large confined terrain feature like a steep long chute this issue could be more serious and consequential. Earlier in the season this issue presented dangerous concerns for ice climbers.
Danger rating observed today throughout the wide variety of terrain traveled was Moderate, with the biggest real time concern the aforementioned Cornice issue.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>The above referenced Cornice issues continue to be suspect and require wide margins for safe travel. And, any large Cornice releases most likely will have the potential to trigger large and dangerous slides (possibly stepping down to buried PWL's). </p> <p>See above for PWL concerns. </p>
Ski quality remains very good in nearly all terrain visited. Excellent mid winter conditions with no issues related to solar and or warming. Silky riding conditions in bottomless feeling powder. In some areas old buried wind slabs are detectable and very supportable. No signs of reactivity. Wind damaged snow only found in very isolated locations on extremely exposed ridgelines.