Paradise Divide and Elk Park

Snowpack structure on northerly-facing terrain at upper elevations has not changed much with obvious strong over weak layering in the middle and bottom of the snowpack.  The threat of human-triggered avalanches will linger for days.  Below treeline, the snowpack has the same weak layers, but the slabs are much softer.  The cold, clear weather continues to weaken the slab component of the avalanche problem below treeline.

I produced a single collapse while snowmobiling on north-facing terrain near treeline.

I took a trip to the Paradise Divide area to look at the slab structure on northerly terrain at upper elevations and below treeline. Near Paradise Bowl (WSC Bowl) above 11,000 feet, the November storm snow is 4 finger hard, and the Halloween storm is up to 1-finger hard.  It will take a fairly long period of cold, dry weather to break down/facet away the cohesiveness of the slab.  The weak layer from mid-November is fist hard with 2mm facets.  The early October weak layer is fist hard, 3-4mm depth hoar.  Test results produced a hard propagating result in the basal depth hoar (results may have been skewed by previous parties collapsing the snowpack in this area). See image.

Below treeline, at 10,750 feet, the snowpack is slightly shallower at 80cm and noticeably weaker.  At this location, the stiffest snow was 4 finger minus and did not produce any propagating test results.  Boot penetration in this area always went to the ground.  See image.