Quick report
- Red Flags
- Rapid Warming, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Besides a few areas that had small Cornice Collapses during last weeks above normal temps, there was minimal significant avalanche activity observed in the Snake Creed drainage. Collapsing during the thawing process that was Widespread last week, has now settled out. Despite this fact, the previously cited wet grains need to freeze up, and fortunately the forecast for this week looks promising. Overnight lows and clear skies look good for solidifying the snow pack. By Wednesday things should be locked up in the upper layers that were still wet today. </p>
Just a quick comment on "Corn Etiquette". The ski season is winding down, but we potentially have some very good riding possibilities left. If you find yourself riding slopes and leaving deep ruts (see Photo 1), this damage may not heal. As a result these slopes will be scarred and not that much fun to ride. If you ride slopes, and only carve in an inch or less, the sun and temperatures will melt down those tracks and keep the riding surfaces as smooth and fun as possible, (See Photo 2).
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>Exiting at 1230 was early for observing any wet activity, yet there were areas already with ski pen of over 30 cm of isothermal layers that were totally unsupportable. And this was at upper elevations on steep south facing terrain. </p> <p>Many of the Cornices have shrunk considerably, yet there are still some large overhanging ones out there that require caution. </p>
HN Silverfork: Trace; HN Brighton Base: 1cm; HN Upper Elevation: 2.5 cm; Minimal refreeze despite temps dropping overnight. Overnight cloud cover, rising RH, and the new snow combined to not allow the snowpack to vent and significantly refreeze. Steep North facing terrain above 9500 had a thin refreeze and was barely supportable. All aspects had 30 tp 38 cm of large consolidated wet grains. As a result, the supportable/acceptable corn like snow was short lived. The new snow didn't help the riding and it got mushy quickly once the sun was on it.