Observation: The Ice Box

Snowpack

Instability Comment

<p>We skied a variety of aspects in moderately steep terrain with no problems, and generally hand pits indicated pretty good stability. HOWEVER......when we were about to embark up an exposed slope that started at 32 degrees and ramped up to 38 degrees for a few hundred feet (and was the next significant slope to the north of the Ice Box slide that occurred Thursday-ish) we did another coupla quick pits and did find that a 2+ foot slab popped out cleanly with energy; enough so that we turned tail and skittered down off that slope back into the trees. Even though it had been a coupla days since the big weather swings and the temps had cooled nicely and things seemed to be locking up, that quick little test with those results spooked us. </p> <p>we checked out the debris at the bottom of the big PoFo Ice Box slide and even though it had been covered by the new snow over the last few days, it's still impressive. Big enough that it may have torn into a persistent weak layer? In the two pics Paul is indicating a bit of timber that's in the debris, and it had enough power to go across the flats and up a small knob (over his head) </p>