Quick report
- Red Flags
- Recent Avalanches, Wind Loading, Cracking, Collapsing, Poor Snowpack Structure
We rode from Snake Creek up to Pole Line Pass at the divide with American Fork Canyon. Along the road, every steep slope had LONG shooting cracks and had collapsed this weekend when people rode by. See photo below of one of these slopes with cracks that were over 100 feet long. Then we found this avalanche.
It's no mystery what's going on with the snowpack. With all the avalanche activity and collapsing/cracking, it is telling us it is unstable. This is remarkable since it only has about 8-10 inches of snow on top of the facets. It's hardly a slab, but the facets are so weak, we're getting avalnches. Unfortunately the situation is getting worse. Very strong winds today and tonight as well as snowfall will stress these facets and depth hoar even more.
The faceting and weakening will continue - despite snowfall tonight, very cold temperatures are expected through Christmas which will keep the faceting process going.
The snowpit and snow profile of that pit below are very typical of this area.
What about lower elevations? They either have almost no snow or they have VERY VERY weak snow. Because the snowpack at these lower elevations has been so thin, it has faceted even more than higher elevations (thinner snow has stronger temperature gradients).
Below is a snowpit and profile from 8000 feet on a NNW facing slope.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>Very weak and faceted snow is on nearly every slope except due south. Areas with slightly thinner snow - sometimes at mid elevations or thinner for other reasons - have the weakest facets which have become striated depth hoar crystals. There is a soft slab about 8-10 inches thick on top of these facets. </p> <p> </p> <p>Strong winds tonight (Dec 22) and snow fall will increase the danger.</p>