Quick report
- Red Flags
- Recent Avalanches, Wind Loading, Rapid Warming, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Poor snowpack structure appears to be confined mostly to the weak surface snow conditions that are widespread on aspects on the upper half of the compass. SH and NSF's continue to grow, and the upper 12 cm of snow is very loose. As a result, sloughing on northerly facing slopes with angles 35 degrees and greater was easily triggered with slope cuts and sharp turns. Sloughs were entraining and running until the slopes transitioned to angles less than 30 degrees. The bed surface these Loose Dry Avalanches were running on was an obvious one finger/firm layer topped with decomposing graupel. Wet Loose activity continued today and was entraining on steep upper elevation southerly facing terrain in Mary Ellen. Minimal Wind Slab activity was able to be triggered with Explosive Control. </p>
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>See above, and this issue appears to be increasing daily. </p> <p>See above, and for the most part it appears that the majority of Loose Wet Avalanches have played out over the past 72 hours, yet todays significant activity confirms this is still a potential Problem to be addressed during daytime heating. </p> <p>Danger today was mostly Low besides the two above cited Problems. And, it appears that conditions and the Avalanche Danger will remain similar tomorrow. Therefore there still appears to be an Isolated Moderate Danger on these two issues; and these issues are very manageable. </p> <p>Besides these two issues/Problems, one may also find Isolated Wind Slab issues in extreme upper elevation terrain. </p>
Southerly aspects with slope angles 25 degrees and greater became saturated at least 10 to 12 cm down. Wind affected and damaged terrain is now widespread on many northerly upper elevation exposed and open terrain. M/F Crusts can now be found on most slopes on the bottom half of the compass.
Mid and upper elevation northerly facing protected terrain is still housing dense soft old powder. The turning is getting a bit thicker and slower each day, yet it is still enjoyable and good riding.