Ruby Ridge

The current surface of the snowpack is very weak. The weak surface has two persistent weak layer (weak snowpack structure setup) snow grain types: Surface Hoar and Facets. Surface hoar on the current snow surface sits on top of weak sugary near surface faceted snow grains.

Once new snow is on top, persistent weak layers will be an avalanche problem type in the snowpack for the foreseeable future. Weather forecasts are showing a sharp increase in precipitation and winds starting Friday. New snow and winds will build reactive slabs; avalanche danger is anticipated to rapidly rise.

We triggered a couple of small facet sluffs that traveled faster than expected downhill. These were on steeper northerly-facing slopes. Isolated cracking where a thin wind skin sits below small facet/ surface hoar combo above - F hard facets below the wind skin.

We traveled primarily between 5500 and 6000’ on a variety of aspects at and near ridge crests and in timbered areas below. Surface hoar (SH) is on the surface and fairly widespread everywhere. SH size is large (10 - 20mm or ~0.4-0.8”) and is still intact near and at ridge top even with todays light winds.

The current snow surface has been exposed to the cold temperatures and elements for the last couple weeks turning the top 1ft of snow into sugary incohesive faceted snow. These faceted, now well developed, angular weak grains (average size 1.0mm) will be a persistent weak layer of concern for quite some time (weeks or more). We observed dry loose slides of the faceted snow surface with slope cuts on steep areas today.