Quick report
Welfare check on the January Junkshow in Central Glacier Park. • 7 days ago, I was out for a patrol at this same location and discovered a concerning weak layer 1.5 feet beneath the surface. I was curious to check back in with this layer and see how it is behaving after several days of incremental loading. • We dug a new pit ~400 feet away from last week's site on a very similar slope. • As expected, the structure was quite similar with the same weak layer present and easily identified. • Details and tests results in the snowpack tab. • Dry snow top to bottom until late afternoon, where the sunshine finally got the best of solars. Expect a crust tomorrow on solars below about 6500'. • Above 6500' the cool temps prevailed, maintaining a sparkly surface of perfectly preserved stellar dendrites. • Ample sunshine initiated large loose dry avalanches on steep solar slopes at all elevations. Especially near/below rock outcroppings. • Looking off into the other parts of the forecast region, it appeared that some stubborn stratus may have protected the other ranges from the sun's spoils. Loose dry avalanches observed on several steep slopes by days end. Even at upper elevations despite temperatures remaining in the teens.
Weather
- Air Temp
- -10
- Cloud Cover
- clear
- Wind Loading
- none
- Recent Snowfall
- 2
- Snow Avail For Transport
- moderate amounts
Clear skies, ample sunshine, cool temps, and very calm winds.
Snowpack
The layer of concern today is 3-6mm facets formed at the end of January. • On an upper elevation east facing slope, we found this layer about 2 feet beneath the surface, • The overlying slab consist of mostly 4F/F hard snow, however the 4 inches immediately above the weak layer is 1F and more settled out at this point. • Test results are in agreement with the forecast. We found a, presently, stubborn slab, that would result in a large destructive avalanche if triggered. Tests Results: -Down 12", ECTN21, ECTN22 -Down 22" (*layer of concern), CT21 Q1, ECTP23, ECTP25, PST 29/100 (END), PST 35/100 (END) •Additional snowpack details can be viewed in the attached pit graph.