Quick report
Wanted to checkout the windward snowpack after 30+ hours of northwest winds with sustained speeds in the 70s and 80s on March 5th-6th.
Traveled on the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail and once out of the trees observed more snow in the snowfields than expected after such high winds. Only observed scoured terrain 4850 ft and above, but lower in the snowfields found there to be good coverage with soft snow.
Weather
- Air Temp
- 12
- Cloud Cover
- overcast
- Wind Loading
- light
- Rain Elevation
- Not Observed
- Recent Snowfall
- Trace
- Snow Avail For Transport
- small smounts
Winds were light through most of the day, however just before 1400 wind speed increased. This was also the only time we observed wind loading. Winds were north and northwest and were transporting snow and decreasing visibility. Snowfall was consistent through the day at a light rate, S-1.
Snowpack
Only observed the surface to be scoured in elevation above 4850 ft. The surface was variable, from Pencil hard to an ice surface. Also observed riming on the surface with some of the softer snow above 4850 ft.
Below 4850 ft snow ranged from 4F hardness in more sheltered locations to Pencil hardness in more wind affected. Ski penetration depth averaged 5 cm but some places was found to be 9 cm. Boot penetration averaged 24 cm.
Soft snow was found to be loose and did not have a cohesive or slabby feel to it and most of it was 4F in hardness. Only found a small pocket of 1F hardness snow, this was not found to have much sensitivity and was an isolated finding. No cracks propagated and it really just reacted to the stress directly under my ski.