Quick report
- Cracking
- specific
There is just 2-3 inches of wet snow at the Marble Mtn. snow park (2600') but by Chocolate Falls (3700') there is 2-3 feet. It was warm, wet, and soft until the freeze line at 3500'. Above the tree line (4200') there was surprisingly little snow. Wind scoured ridges with rocks and 3-4' snowdrifts, but valleys still had a lot of exposed rock. The snow was "right side up" until wind loaded lee slopes on the ridge started to firm up at 4500' or so. Then there was a wind slab that on some east aspects propagated cracks from my snowshoes. I triggered one small slab avalanche. It was small because of it was limited by the terrain. There are plenty of much larger similar slopes that would have probably been quite risky today. I did not go above 5,000' or venture into terrain where there was the potential for larger avalanches. The weather today was cloudy and foggy with very flat light and light snow through 10 AM. Visibility was too poor to see any older avalanches and I have no idea what conditions were like above 5,000'. At 5000', temps were in the mid twenties and winds were less than 10 mph. The Marble Mtn Snow Park is plowed and there is only 2-3" or snow remaining there after Monday night rain. Ski trails are good for snowshoes and skis at altitudes just above the snow park. Areas with large boulders (Chocolate Falls and Climbing Route) were very difficult today with with fragile snow bridges in between the rocks. The ridge between the tree line and 5,000' did not have enough snow for skis or snowshoes, but had far too much snow for boots and crampons. Travel was very difficult. There are still so many exposed rocks between the tree line and 5,000' that skiing would be a major challenge.
Avalanche
- Size
- D1
- Aspect
- E
- Trigger
- AI
- Elevation
- 4900 ft
A single D1 Slab triggered by a snowshoer. On a small steep slope without room to propagate into something larger.