Little O'Malley

We toured from the Glen Alps parking lot to a point between Little O’Malley and False Peak to dig in a location representative of a higher elevation start zone. Our focus was on assessing surface moisture, tracking water movement through the snowpack, and monitoring persistent weak layers.

At lower elevations (~2,000'), we found sun crusts up to 4" thick, while a thinner (~1") sun crust extended up to ridgetops. The overall snowpack structure matched what we’ve been seeing across the park: near-surface facets in the upper snowpack, a mid-pack facet layer, and depth hoar near the ground, all interspersed with wind-affected snow.

We observed signs of healing in the upper near-surface facet layer, while the mid-pack facets and depth hoar remained dry and unchanged. We did not perform formal stability tests due to a pencil-hard wind slab that made isolating a column difficult. By the time we descended (~2 PM), the surface crust had softened, providing enjoyable surface conditions.

We are approaching a tipping point for more significant wet loose instability. In steep, sun-exposed terrain—particularly on south aspects—loose wet avalanches could entrain a significant amount of snow. Careful timing will be key to managing this hazard.