Quick report
- Red Flags
- Rapid Warming, Poor Snowpack Structure
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>ECTX on a north facing slope at 10,580' ft, HS 141cm. In this pit the weak layer of concern was 81 cm below the surface. The overlying slab is very thick and dense, mostly 4F to 1F snow. The weak layer is getting harder to trigger, but it is still fist density. I am not willing to trust this structure in avalanche terrain. My strategy will be to avoid steep slopes with facets, let the heat wave happen, wait for a good solid refreeze, and then re-assess the faceted weak layers. In the short term, they may become more reactive with the heat. In the meantime, I'll be looking for fun spring-like turns on the solars.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>Just 100' above this pit the HS was 250cm from previously wind-drifted snow. This is a great example of the spacial variability on any given slope. You would never know it without probing or digging. The really deep snow is just below the shadow line in this photo.</p> <p> </p> <p>I booted up a steep SE facing couloir, and supportable snow allowed for safe travel this morning. The snow was damp and definitely taking on a lot of heat. There was about six inches of hot pow on a firm bed surface. Roller balls released with just about every turn in the steepest terrain. The slope stopped shedding snow when the slope angle mellowed out. The overlying snow was poorly bonded to the firm surface below. The trend will be for increasing danger of wet activity in the coming days. We will most likely see a good round of wet-loose, with the potential for wet slab later this week. </p> <p> </p> <p>There was evidence of an old wet-loose avalanche in the gut of this run.</p> <p> </p>
Was hoping for supportable corn-like conditions on a SE aspect in the alpine. It was more like mash potatoes on top of a firm base. The zone I skied today needs to go through a few more melt-freeze cycles for good spring conditions. I kicked off many roller balls with each turn as I skied down. Fun skiing, nonetheless. In the afternoon I went to Colorado bowl to check out polars and found some hot pow. I talked to a party that skied Colorado Bowl from the top and they also reported hot pow mixed with variable wind-affected snow.