Ruby Ridge

Snowpack conditions varied widely by elevation and aspect. A generally weaker and shallower snowpack was observed in this location compared to recent observations in the other forecast zones. Snow surface, and near surface, conditions varied. On average, elevations near and below 5200’ had partly refrozen rain crust from February 23 with wet snow underneath while at  6000’ dry snow throughout the snowpack. By aspect, Northerly shaded slopes contained soft dry snow surfaces while all other sun exposed slopes had a stout (1-2 cm (~0.5 -1in) thick Pencil hard) frozen sun crust.

At 5200’ on an East aspect nearly the entire 155cm (~5ft) deep snowpack was observed to be at or very near 0C (32F). This location had a breakable, partly refrozen, crust near the surface with wet snow underneath. Snow underneath this progressed in hardness to 4F+ hard moist snow with F hard wet and weak faceted snow grains below, down 40 cm from the surface, and at this depth we observed easy sudden collapse (CT4 SC, Moderate ECTN, down 40cm). 

On Ruby ridge at 6000’ we found little to no water influence from the February 23rd rain. All sun effected aspects, East to South to West, have a hard, mostly supportable on foot, sun crust surface from the warm sunny last several days. Dry snow was found underneath. Shaded northerly aspects had no surface crust, a preserved  soft snow surface with needle like rimed surface grain forms. Below the surface on northerlys,  F+ hard, dry snow in the upper snowpack with a couple thin, styrofoam character, layers mixed within.

At 6000' ridge-top on an open SW aspect slope we observed a relatively shallow, total depth 105cm (~3ft), snowpack with a cohesive slab sitting atop the January Drought Layer (JDL), 30cm - 50cm down from the surface, comprised  of F hard faceted grains. Below the JDL were surprisingly more faceted surgery grains, size 2-3mm, to the ground. We were unable to investigate the area further to confirm whether this observation is consistent or an anomaly at this location.