Elkhorns

You may encounter pockets of sensitive wind-drifted snow along upper-elevation ridgelines.  You are likely to encounter firm melt-freeze crusts on solar aspects that may be slow to soften today.  Travel could be difficult, and a slip and fall on these surfaces could have consequences, so be sure to have the proper equipment if your travel plan includes moving over solar aspects this morning.  Consider the consequences of triggering even a small avalanche above significant terrain traps such as cliff bands, creek beds, or gullies.  

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The wind...

There isn't a whole lot of unconsolidated snow to move around by the wind, but yesterday I found about 3" of fresh snow in the Northern Elkhorns that was being blown into sensitive wind slabs along upper elevation ridgelines.  These wind slabs should stay fairly small, but they can run fast especially where they sit atop a firm melt freeze crust.   Be observant of recent wind loading patterns and avoid areas of freshly deposited wind blown snow- especially where they may be above consequential terrain.  

The warm....

Things are heating up a bit going into the weekend.  We may just squeak by today with temperatures staying in the low 30's, but that big bright sun is getting higher in the sky.  This time of year it has a stronger effect on the snow.   As the day progresses, monitor how the temperatures and solar radiation are softening the melt-freeze crusts.   If you time it right, you can get some excellent riding.  If you are too late to the party, you might find yourself up to your ankles in a wet sloppy mess.  As the upper snowpack loses cohesion, it's time to seek shade and better riding on shadier slopes.

Wait....what about those January Facets?  

Faceted, sugary, weak snow still sits 2-4 feet below the snow surface.  We continue to keep these on the radar, especially in the Blues and the Elkhorns.  The faceted grains continue to show signs of strengthening and rounding.   However, in my travels at Spout Springs on Wednesday, I got mixed results in my snowpack tests.  One Extended Column Test showed no propagation, and one showed propagation.  In a Propagation Saw Test, I got results that indicated if you found the right spot to collapse the facets and there is a slab above them, they could produce an avalanche.   I even found some lurking buried surface hoar that was buried on 1/31.  We gave these facets a good test with the Sunday Soaker rain event.   Most of what we saw for natural avalanches seemed to be relegated to the snow above the facets.

So what?  Why are you still talking about this?   I think about facets in the snowpack as sleeping monsters in the basement.  What would wake them up?  In complex and unsupported terrain, it wouldn't be out of the question for a smaller wind slab or wet loose avalanche to add enough weight to trigger a larger persistent slab avalanche.  Warming and free water within the snowpack could also wake up the monster.   This weak layer should remain on our minds as we enter into warming temperatures through the weekend (especially if we don't get adequate overnight freezing temperatures)  If water percolates through the overlying slab and soaks these facets, wet slab avalanches could follow.  

Check out the video below. It's a little on the long side, but I talk about the structure of the snowpack in the Blues as well as some things to think about as we may be starting to think about bigger alpine objectives and the warming of our snowpack.  

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