Anthracites (Kebler Pass)

The new snow did not pose an obvious avalanche threat in sheltered areas although weak layers were present.  On this tour, wind-drifted/stiffened snow was needed to produce signs of instability on weak layer in the middle of the snowpack from the dry spell during the first half of November.  Skiing on the south half of the compass in this area looks really shallow and dangerous due to lack of snow (see image).  Riding conditions remain challenging at low elevations due to lack of snow and ground hazards.  The areas with the deepest snow (wind-drifted northerly terrain) showed signs of instability and are likely to produce human-triggered avalanches. 

Around 10 inches of recent storm snow.  Drifting occurred from moderate westerly winds in exposed areas.  Below treeline the snowpack was quiet on north and easterly aspects as the the slab above basal fascets and mid-November 'dry spell' facets, is very soft and has yet to settle into a cohesive slab.  Sunny aspects in this area are shallow with the recent storm falling on rocks, dirt, and discontinuous crust at the ground.  Once we moved into terrain near treeline with some wind-deposited snow we experienced a few collapses and cracking in the snowpack but no avalanche release (see image).