Quick report
New storm snow mainly lacked slab structure in terrain traveled today, but it rests on variable surfaces that are worthy of attention.
No signs of instability observed at this location today. It might have been possible to push small (sz.1) Wet Loose avalanches at lower elevations in the direct sun, with storm snow resting on a firm crust. Snow surfaces became moist and re-froze below 4500'.Weather
- Air Temp
- 14
- Cloud Cover
- broken
- Wind Loading
- moderate
- Rain Elevation
- 4000
- Recent Snowfall
- 27
- Snow Avail For Transport
- large amounts
Overcast to broken skies with some breaks of sunshine and light snow. Moderate W winds visibly transporting snow along Vasiliki Ridge, but Delancey was somehow sheltered. It felt cold at ridge crest (-10°C) but strangely warm at Silver Star, with the road mainly bare and wet, perhaps due to downsloping effects of westerly winds.
Snowpack
A trace of new snow at Silver Star, with about 10cm semi-supportable melt forms (saturated) up to ~4000'. Above this elevation, the recent storm snow increased in depth quickly, with 20cm @ 4500' and 25-30cm above 5000'. Minimal wind transport observed along Delancey Ridge. Storm snow had a fair to good bond at the previous surface, with isolated steeper slopes in the direct sun below treeline the exception.
A test pit at 5300' on a SE aspect had a total depth of 145cm. The 28cm storm snow had a good bond with a 2cm thick, ski-supportable crust (from Feb.22). Below this crust, ~15cm weak (F+) preserved faceted grains from earlier in the month sit on top of the 1/31 crust. Small column tests showed hard collapse results in the facets, below the crust.
A profile at 6500' on a NW aspect had a total depth of 200cm. 27cm storm snow had a good bond with the small facets (F+ hard, buried Feb.24). This layer was ~30cm thick and sitting on top of the 1/31 crust. The 1/31 crust showed signs of weakening, with ~5-7cm faceted melt-forms embedded beneath a K hard ice layer. Small column tests gave hard, resistant planar results at the Feb.24 interface.