Quick report
- Aspect
- Northeast
- Red Flags
- Heavy Snowfall, Wind Loading, Cracking
- Elevation
- 2865 m
- Slope Angle
- 35°
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Wind drifted snow propagated cracks very far and very easily.</p>
This is a picture of the deep cracks that formed easily on test slopes in wind affected terrain. Cracks were 10-12 deep and I'm sure if they were on larger, steep slopes, they would have slid when triggered by the weight of a human. I think that while these wind slabs will heal quickly, tomorrow may be a little early to stick one's neck out. Unfortunately, the powder won't last long in April sun, and people will feel pressure to do so. The non-wind affected snow, while inverted, did not seem as dangerous and should be less so by tomorrow, and wind loading was, in my limited observation, restricted to ridgelines. These factors lead me to conclude that hazard should ameliorate overnight to moderate, with a note of considerable along ridges above 9000 feet with wind drifted snow.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>The new snow is denser than the snow on which it fell (Sunday's storm). I did not observe avalanches related to this problem, but it could be that there wasn't quite enough new snowfall and the structure needs an additional trigger, either a skier, a sluff, or a small wind-related avalanche that could step down. It should heal quickly, however.</p> <p>S winds were strong on and off all morning, and there was much wind loaded snow along ridges. This snow was very reactive on test slopes. </p>
The new snow was somewhat dense by wasatch standards and drifted easily. Wind drifts were very reactive, with cracks shooting 10-30 feet on steep test slopes. Out of wind affected areas, it was not as visibily, but the setup of dense new snow over the lighter Sunday snow was considered a red flag and kept my party under 35 degrees today.