Quick report
- Red Flags
- Poor Snowpack Structure
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>I was mostly finding soft fist density snow and weak sugary faceted snow near the ground and not much strong or slab like snow in my travels. I did however find some older wind slabs as I traveled up and along the higher ridgeline above Double Hill. Not much concern yet until more weight is added to this weak snowpack.</p>
The majority of riders are staying on roads and smooth grassy areas.
A few folks have been getting off the beaten path, but not veturing onto anything steep due to thin snow cover.
I did come across this natural slide that likely happened during the storm with strong southwest winds. My guess is the winds overloaded an early season weak snowpack and this small pocket released from just below the ridge line. There was more evidense of a couple smaller natural slides adjacent to this larger one. Good information that there is enough snow to avalanche!
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>Until the area receives more snow allowing riders to get onto some steeper slopes the hazard is generally low with some very isolated wind slabs that might still be an issue aong the higher ridge lines. </p>
Looks like things over here on the north slope ended up with about 6" of snow since the storm started on Wednesday, a little more in the Whitney Basin with some elevation gain. The new cold light density snow is not helping to build much of a base for riding conditions.