Quick report
We found variable surfaces in the Ravine today. The floor was full of stiff, frozen debris, other surfaces were scoured and wind textured, and in isolated areas in the trees we found softer snow with moderate reactivity. With clear visibility it would be easy to differentiate and identify these various surfaces.
We were unable to observe start zones due to limited visibility, but traveling in the terrain we felt that any of the steep surfaces were highly wind affected and that it would be highly unlikely to find softer, more reactive snow.
The softer snow we found in sheltered aspects in the trees was limited, very protected, and we did not feel that the sensitivity was representative of steep and wind affected terrain. The reactivity was 4-7 inches in depth and within a subtle hand hardness change in the new wind drifted snow.
Weather
- Air Temp
- 3
- Cloud Cover
- obscured
- Wind Loading
- none
- Recent Snowfall
- Trace
- Snow Avail For Transport
- none
Western winds that averaged mid 50 mph were recorded while we were in terrain.
Avalanche
We discussed that Left Gully and Center Headwall had naturally avalanched as there was more definition in the runout of Left Gully and significant debris on the Ravine floor likely from Center Headwall. Chute was harder to make out but the runout also had more definition.