Quick report
Persistent slab problem continues to remain unlikely. If weather pattern shifts as forecasted, instability will increase as new snow will add strain to existing weak layers down near the ground. New weak layers have also formed from this early season dry spell and will likely contribute to instability once new snow is added. No instability noted. Solid melt-freeze crust on the surface on most all aspects. We found some buried surface around 7400' buried beneath a thin, breakable crust about 20 cm down.
Weather
- Cloud Cover
- overcast
- Wind Loading
- none
- Snow Avail For Transport
- none
Cloudy to overcast skies as very light snow showers began in the early afternoon. Very little to no accumulation is anticipated. Winds were light out of the SW. Temperatures were seasonal.
Snowpack
The snow near the ground continues to SLOWLY strengthen, while the middle and upper part of the weaken. We dug two pits today. First was on a E/SE aspect around 7100'. HS was 89 cm. A melt-freeze crust/facet sandwich was found in the upper 10 cm, which produced easy failures in compression. Old November facets produce stubborn results in tests, ECTP 26 and PST 72/100 End, 70-75 cm down. Second pit was on a NW aspect around 7500', HS was 119 cm. This particular location was very wind loaded with a very stout slab of snow in the middle of the snowpack. Weak, facets found near the ground but would be very difficult to trigger in this location. Buried surface hoar was found beneath a thin, melt-freeze crust about 20 cm down. ECTP 14, 15 on this layer.
Avalanche
- Size
- D1 R1
- Type
- SS
- Aspect
- N
- Elevation
- 7500 ft
A few very small, wind slab avalanches observed just below the cornice on heavily wind-loaded north and east aspects.