Quick report
- Red Flags
- Wind Loading, Collapsing, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>The collapsing I observed was more localized than widespread with no cracking observed. The winds were on the increase as the afternoon went on and little new snow accumulation. In my travels I felt the slab was somewhat relaxed, I had no fracture propagation, but the interface between the last two storms is still noteworthy and reactive with a shovel shear test.</p>
Old news, but looking around Gold Hill this place looked to have gone through a nice little natural avalanche cycle from the last storm. Photos did not show it very well, but some shallow crowns and lots of slumping and sluffing were evident. Steep, thin, rocky terrain was the common theme with this activity, in the photo just above the sled tracks is some old activity.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>Around the Gold Hill Basin, I was not finding the slab to be very reactive, but in steep thin rocky terrain I would suspect conditions are somewhat different.</p> <p>Winds were picking-up this afternoon and with loose snow to blow around fresh wind drifts will be found along the ridgelines. </p>
Many areas had some firm wind board from Tuesday's wind, but sheltered terrain had some decent settled powder conditions.