Quick report
- Cracking
- isolated
On day two of an AIARE L1 students decided to travel into Tuckerman Ravine to gather field observations ahead of the deteriorating weather. Along the way we experienced snow showers and generally pleasant temperatures. Throughout the morning snow fell with some graupel mixed in, especially during the short but intense squalls. Around this time winds began to increase as forecasted along with clear signs of snow being transported onto leeward slopes. Thin, icy, rocky, and generally unpleasant skiing conditions still exist throughout the majority of the terrain. Very isolated pockets of reactive wind slabs were observed around 1:00pm. Hand shears below left gully showed that these quickly forming wind slabs slid easily on the new/old snow interface. Given the poor skiing conditions, dropping temperatures, and increased winds, our group made the decision to turn around and begin our descent. Snow stopped falling around 1:15pm (est).