Quick report
Cold and windy conditions continued with new snow falling today. Fog limited our ability to for clear visual assessment, but moving in terrain did not find evidence of a wind slab problem.
-consistent snowfall through the day of light density snow was easily picked up and moved by northwest winds (80-90 mph at the summit).
-snow surfaces were variable and primarily firm. Textured wind affected snow, chalky windboard, and old ice crusts was the bulk of surfaces encountered.
-observed a stable snowpack (in a limited sample set) would be looking out for highly sheltered, steep terrain that could shelter a sensitive windslab, but question the likelihood of this with the high winds that have persisted this week.
Weather
- Air Temp
- 8
- Cloud Cover
- overcast
- Wind Loading
- moderate
- Recent Snowfall
- 2.28
- Snow Avail For Transport
- small smounts
fog and blowing snow limited visibility, but some pockets of blue sky emerged in and out of the clouds. Cold temperatures continued, though temperatures increased throughout the day. Northwest winds continued to rage and new snow fell throughout the morning and early afternoon.
Snowpack
Toured into Tuckerman Ravine to assess conditions from 2 inches of snow over the past two days, the effects of hours of extreme northwest winds, and the addition of 2+ inches of new snow that was forecast for today.
We found variable surface conditions, which were largely firm and textured. We found sections of exposed ice from the previous melt-freeze crust, frozen sastrugi, and chalky windboard. Along the Tuckerman Ravine Trail into the ravine, found areas of softer drifted snow. This snow was packed together, but mostly lacked cohesion. In one area found snow that had a slabbery feel, but this was very small and very limited in a sheltered area amongst the trees on the trail.
Looking into the ravine, visibility was limited by fog, but we did have some visibility and we were unable to identify any areas of concern that may be harbouring a wind slab. Moving up Chicken Rock Gully, we found the surface to be firm and highly wind-affected. We did not find evidence of wind slabs, and surmised if they were around they would be small and in very sheltered terrain.
We saw new snow moving around, but did not see it loading productively and felt it was scouring more than anything. Snow was certainly accumulating in sheltered areas in the trees, but in steep terrain, it was hard to find snow that was soft.
While the was snow in the ravine, did not seem to be more filled in. Looking across Boott Spur that terrain still also is boney and developing.