Quick report
I skied North, Northeast, and East aspects near and below treeline today. While there was ample wind transported snow on North through East aspects, I did not find any wind slab in my travels up to 8300'. The wind had not stiffened the snow on top while leaving softer snow underneath. I found 30-60cm of fist to four-finger hardness snow sitting on a progressively more firm base.
I kicked several cornices and tried to push snow down steep slopes. The only results I saw were small dry loose avalanches. I did not venture above treeline. The wind was much stronger above the treeline, snow was pluming off the peaks and wind texture was visible on the snow surface.
I triggered a few small Dry Loose avalanches in terrain steeper than 35 degrees on a NE aspect, near treeline. They were all small, (D1).Weather
- Wind Loading
- moderate
- Recent Snowfall
- 15cm/6"
- Snow Avail For Transport
- large amounts
Mostly sunny skies in the morning gave way to clouds in the afternoon. Light snowfall began in the afternoon. Winds were swirly, light gusting to moderate, out of the SW, S, and SE.
Avalanche
I observed 10+ small (D1) Dry Loose avalanches triggered by cornice fall above treeline. These avalanches were visible from the highway this morning on the peaks up Hurricane Creek, Cheif Joseph and along the ridgetops at Wing Ridge.