Quick report
- Red Flags
- Recent Avalanches, Heavy Snowfall, Wind Loading, Cracking, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Surprisingly did not get any collapsing.</p>
The most reactive weak layer I was finding today on all aspects was the interface between the new and old snow. On steeper slopes I was able to get clean shears on this weak layer when isolating a column (CTV). All extended column tests were ECTN (collapse but no propagation). However, I did get one full propagation (ECTP22) on a south-facing aspect at 9,000 where it appears the storm snow from Saturday night/Sunday morning is now a layer of decomposing fragments (DF's) as well as the early stages of faceting. This weak layer is on top of a crust that had formed prior to snowfall on Saturday.
With over 2" of water in places and a PWL that is now down 45-60 cms (likely deeper in the upper Cottonwoods) it definitely is time to step back and see how the PWL adjusts to this rapid load.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>Plenty of cracking in the new snow on steeper test slopes. There is a much-advertised density inversion within the storm snow and on all aspects I was finding the most reactive weak layer to be the new snow/old snow interface. Decreasing danger as storm snow instabilities should settle out quickly.</p> <p>I dug plenty of pits on northerly aspects where the Jan/Feb facets are present and everything was ECTN, either within the storm snow or at the interface with the old snow.</p>
Estimated 30-45 cms storm snow.