Quick report
We found good stability in this location today. The only concerns were small, wet loose slides on steep south-facing slopes. I would expect this problem to remain the same by tomorrow afternoon. With a major winter storm moving into the region Sunday night, I would be suspect of facets/surface hoar and melt-freeze crusts getting buried. Avalanche conditions will become more dangerous throughout the day on Monday.
No instability noted, other than signs of wet loose snow in the afternoon.Weather
- Cloud Cover
- scattered
- Wind Loading
- none
- Recent Snowfall
- 2-4
- Snow Avail For Transport
- moderate amounts
Scattered clouds over the mountains for most of the day. W/SW winds kept temperatures cool in the shade. Intermittent sunshine began heating up the snow surface around 1100 on solar aspects. Valley inversions burnt off by mid-morning. The cloud ceiling on West Mountain lowered to 7800' during parts of the afternoon.
Snowpack
We dug two different pits today. First, was 7400', N aspect, HS 140 cm (4.5 ft.). Large-grained surface hoar resting on snow surface. ECTN 18 & 22, 35 cm down on density change within new/old interface from last week. Second pit was at 7750', S aspect, HS 130 cm (4 ft.). Upper two inches of snow surface was moist by 1200. ECTN 21 & 22, 35 cm down on density change within new/old interface from last week. ECTP 26 & 28, 73 cm down within 02/01 crust complex. Results continue to be inconsistent as two tests resulted in ECTX on this layer and two tests resulted in ECTP on this layer. Given the sintering of the crystals and the warm temperatures, I don't expect this layer to continue to pose a problem.