Quick report
We got skunked by too much dry pavement at Ebbetts Pass, and went to Blue Lakes instead. Dust on crust from the sno-park did not get our hopes up, but we eventually found good conditions for exploring strange places - with the best quality on steep N aspects without previous tracks.
The maximum new snow observed was 8" of low density storm snow on top of a surprisingly supportable 2" crust. On steep N aspects the crust was very breakable with early stage faceting under it. Everywhere else the crust was firm and physically challenging to ride.
Wind slabs were shallow and soft, with limited cracking observed on test slopes, and no other signs of instability found. Recent natural wind slab avalanches were also shallow and soft, and would have hardly presented a hazard to a person.
Although afternoon temperatures became warm on sunny slopes, there wasn't enough coverage on steep and sunny slopes for safe travel to observe wet loose conditions today.
Weather
- Cloud Cover
- scattered
- Wind Loading
- light
- Recent Snowfall
- 15
- Snow Avail For Transport
- small smounts
Cool and calm morning transitioned to warm with a light N breeze
Snowpack
Highly variable new snow amounts on top of a supportable crust