June BC

I headed out into the June BC to gauge warming on multiple aspects and at higher elevations.

• Most snow I traveled through today was wet on the surface, from 5 cm to 50 cm deep. Most slopes held moist snow beneath the wet snow. Of note, northerly slopes above 10,500'  held dry snow within 15 cm of the surface.
• I witnessed Wet Loose activity on all aspects at below and near treeline elevations, up to 10,000'. 
• I was able to ski cut very small, isolated wind slabs on north - east aspects at upper elevations, above treeline. These slabs were up to 1F, 15 cm deep, and wet. On north aspects, they failed on dry snow/old wind affected surfaces. On east aspects, they failed on a thin, F - 4F melt-freeze crust.
• Return travel below 9,000' was difficult after 4 pm, as ski pen increased to 15 cm and boot pen increased to 55 cm as the snow continued to warm. It began to rain consistently below 9,000' after 5 pm. 

See snowpack for more details. 

 

 

Natural D1.5 observed on an E aspect ~ 9900' in cliffy, above treeline terrain, around 4 pm. The slide initiated as a point release, and slid over cliffs onto terrain below. A few other point releases, rollerballs, etc. on E - N aspects up to ~ 10,000'.

I was tracking warming in the snowpack as I ascended and descended, on multiple aspects and different elevation bands. 

• 1 pm, 9200', BTL, North: 3 cm melt forms over transitional snow (wet up to 4F crust 50 cm down). 
  • T air: 4.5 C, T surf: 2 C, T - 20: 0 C
  • HS 210 cm
  • Boot Pen: 25 cm; Ski Pen: 5 cm.
• 4 pm, 9200', BTL, North: Mushy, wet snow.
  • T air: 9 C, T surf: 4 C, T -20: 2 C 
  •  Boot Pen: 55 cm; Ski Pen: 15 cm

• 2 pm, 10,400' East-Southeast, NTL: 5 - 10 cm wet, transitioning wind blown snow in areas over supportable surfaces. Areas without wind blown snow have surface melt forms (less than 2 cm), snow is wet to P - K crust at 30 cm. 
  
  • T air: 4 C, T surf: 1.5 C, T -20: .5 C
  • HS > 355 cm
  • Boot Pen: 30 cm; Ski Pen: 10 cm
• Steeper Southeast slope nearby: 2 cm surface melt forms over 40-45 cm wet snow over an F/4F crust. 

• 3 pm, 10,600' - 11,100', North, ATL: 5 - 10 cm wet, transitioning old wind slab or wind blown snow over F/4F moist to dry snow. Hard surface ~ 25 cm down (old wind board).
  • T air: 4 C, T surf: 0 C, T - 20: -1 C 
  • Boot Pen: 0 - 15 cm; Ski Pen: 0 - 10 cm