Blues

At upper elevations, you may encounter pockets of sensitive wind-drifted snow along ridgelines.  Strong winds and cloudy skies will likely offset the warming of the snow surface today- but be on the lookout for wet and sloppy snow in wind-sheltered mid and lower elevations on the southern half of the compass.  Consider the consequences of triggering even a small avalanche above significant terrain traps such as cliff bands, creek beds, or gullies.  

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The wind...

Thick melt-freeze crusts exist on all but the truest of north aspects at mid and upper elevations.  Dry, unconsolidated snow can still be found in wind-sheltered upper elevation zones.  Today's highlighted weather will be the strong to extreme winds that are forecasted for our region.  There isn't a whole lot of snow available to be blown around, but forecasted wind speeds in the mid 40's should be able to find what is left.   Look for flagging of snow blowing off of upper ridgelines,  be aware of new cornice formation, and avoid freshly deposited wind drifts.  

The warm....

Wind and clouds help to offset wet snow avalanche problems and should slow the process today.   However, clouds are anticipated to decrease in the afternoon.  If this occurs, and as the sun pops out with warming temperatures, be on the lookout for signs of wet loose avalanche activity.  Look for roller balls and if you find yourself in wet sloppy snow up to your ankles, it's time to stay off of slopes greater than 35 degrees that are in the sun.   Seek out the shadier aspects.    Get used to this routine as we anticipate a significant warm-up through this weekend.  

Wait....what about those January Facets?  

Faceted, sugary, weak snow still sits 2-4 feet below the snow surface.  We continue to keep these on the radar especially in the Blues and the Elkhorns,.  The faceted grains continue to show signs of strengthening and rounding.   However, in my travels at Spout Springs yesterday, I got mixed results in my snowpack tests.  One Extended Column Test showed no propagation, and one showed propagation.  In a Propagation Saw Test, I got results that indicated if you found the right spot to collapse the facets and there is a slab above them, they could produce an avalanche.   I even found some lurking buried surface hoar that was buried on 1/31.  We gave these facets a good test with the Sunday Soaker rain event.   Most of what we saw for natural avalanches seemed to be relegated to the snow above the facets.

So what?  Why are you still talking about this?   I think about facets in the snowpack as sleeping monsters in the basement.  What would wake them up?  In complex and unsupported terrain, it wouldn't be out of the question for a smaller wind slab or wet loose avalanche to add enough weight to trigger a larger persistent slab avalanche.  Warming and free water within the snowpack could also wake up the monster.   This weak layer should remain on our minds as we enter into warming temperatures through the weekend (especially if we don't get adequate overnight freezing temperatures)  If water percolates through the overlying slab and soaks these facets, wet slab avalanches could follow.  

Check out the video below. It's a little on the long side, but I talk about the structure of the snowpack in the Blues as well as some things to think about as we may be starting to think about bigger alpine objectives and the warming of our snowpack.  

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