Quick report
- Red Flags
- Heavy Snowfall, Wind Loading
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>The snow was well behaved, at least where we were. I did not dig a snowpit but I did dig several quick hand pits and cut out blocks of new snow with my ski pole and did my usual compressions and shear tests by hand. I did not notice any problems within the new snow, at least in the upper 2-3 feet of the snowpack. I chose a conservative trail up a north facing slope in the trees and there was very little wind damage or drifting. We took three laps between about 10,000' and 8,600' and I ski cut several 40-degree, small rollovers and could not get anything to move. Up higher in above-treelined terrain, there was probably some wind affected snow but we did not experience any today. But with the forecast for another foot or more overnight, all this will be a moot point as avalanche conditions will depend on how the snow comes in overnight. I'm guessing tomorrow it will be just too deep to ski in most places. I hate it when that happens. Good day for the resorts.</p>
Snowpack
I broke a trail up White Pine Canyon in LCC. I was amazed how few cars there were in the parking lot and I needed to break trail from the White Pine-Red Pine junction. We seemed to be the only party in the entire basin. I think people are just tired of skiing so much perfect powder this year, at least I know I have actually muttered it to several friends lately without washing my mouth out with soap. We went up and took three laps on the north-facing Spire gladed trees. It was snowing so hard in the afternoon with some wind so much of the uptrack was already buried. Snow was fabulous powder with about 8 inches from last night plus what was falling today, and it sat on soft settled snow from before last night's snowfall, creating perfect, knee-deep powder. One of the best days of the year, but I've said this several times this season.