Quick report
- Red Flags
- Recent Avalanches, Wind Loading, Collapsing, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>We had consistent collapsing of the snowpack with a small amount of associated cracking. Northerly aspects were loaded, we saw a couple point release slides on north faces that ran >500 vertical feet, but no big avalanches. We did see some pictures from friends of larger avalanches that clearly broke on the old snow surface on Tele Gold, Tele Heaven, and Red snow cirque (or one of the BG cirques) so there had been some larger slab avalanches (>200' width). Slopes >30 degrees are suspect until proven otherwise right now. If the wind stays reasonable as suggested in the forecast, I think tomorrow will be a 'scary moderate' day barring other observations of broader avalanche activity.</p>
Couple point releases that coverd some vert in Dory Canyon.
Wind scour from the southerly winds over Noriega's ridge
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>The north faces with the worst snowpack structure are all loaded right now from the last snow cycle and associated winds. North facing avalanche terrain is out for now until tested otherwise. I would lump this in with new snow that is still settling out a little. Think another day or two for the last interface to become less reactive. We had a lot of collapsing today.</p> <p>The old snow surface could easily become a persistent weak layer where facets had formed in our previous dry spell. More investigation is needed, and it will be highly variable. It's also good to keep in mind that we still probably have a lot of basal facets lurking beneathe everything. It doesn't seem like the deep facets were awakened with this last cycle. Some hole digging and shovel slapping are an order order in the near future...</p>
We found mostly soft snow on the west aspects we toured today. Southern aspects we encountered had been raked pretty hard by the wind during the recent storm cycle and were very thin. All that snow was deposited on northerly aspects. We encountered regular and consistent collapses in the snow pack that felt like they were adjustments in the old snow interface that had been weakened by the extended dry period. However, the new snow was supportable and felt right side up for really nice skiing. We steered clear of avalanche terrain given the reactive snowpack.