Quick report
- Cracking
- isolated
- Collapsing
- isolated
Persistent slab problems exist in areas with a wind-stiffened slab. Snow cover was generally thin except on shaded slopes above about 9,000'.
A slab + sensitive weak layer combination was much less common here than similar aspects and elevations near Dollarhide.Weather
- Air Temp
- Upper 20s to low-30s
- Cloud Cover
- few
- Wind Loading
- moderate
- Recent Snowfall
- 0
- Snow Avail For Transport
- moderate amounts
Mostly clear in the morning and afternoon. Very light snow flurries with clouds midday. Wind speeds increased in the afternoon to blow moderate to strong from the W/NW.
Snowpack
Snow Depths:
South and southwest-facing slopes were nearly bare up to 9,600'. Snow cover was sufficient to access the yurt but quite thin. Snow depths on shaded slopes >9,000 were between 40-70 cm.
Wind Affect:
We observed lots of wind-blown snow which helped to stiffen the snow surface in some areas but was not effectively building slabs.
Weak Layers:
The 12/13 freezing rain crust was fragile. The facets below were small and not very well developed. It produced mixed ECTN and ECTP. This layer was less concerning here than near Dollarhide Summit. Weak snow on the ground was dry at shaded middle and upper elevations. This snow produced the one large collapse we experienced. The 12/13 and old snow were separated by 5 cm or less.
Avalanche
- Size
- D2
- Count
- 2
- Aspect
- NW
- Trigger
- N
- Elevation
- 9100 ft
We observed a couple of older avalanches that likely released during the last storm. We did not observe any sun-induced loose snow avalanches.