Quick report
- Aspect
- South
- Red Flags
- Recent Avalanches, Wind Loading, Cracking, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Elevation
- 3078 m
- Slope Angle
- 28°
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Although instability was less obvious today than yesterday closer inspection of the snow showed two weak layers and some cracking in the new snow.</p> <p>The most significant weak layer was some near surface facets burried at the interface between old and new snow at about 60 cms deep.</p> <p>It was also possible to trigger small wind slabs that appeared to break on the grauple layer, although this will probably heal quickly. </p>
Relatively easy results from ECT with clean shear was perhaps the most significant red flag of the day.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>As shown in photo below (with weak snow removed) the persistent weak layer under a significant slab was my greatest concern today. This seemed like a low to medium probability high consequence situation. We did not observe any collapsing on this layer although large collapses had been reported previously. Weak layer produced a clean shear in ECT test although did not pop out with a ton of energy. </p> <p>Wind slabs were relatively easily triggered today and they appeared to be running on the layer of grauple from yesterday that was reported in LCC. These will probably stabilize a more over the next few days.</p> <p>Cornices were also very sensitive.</p>
Snow was relatively stiff in wind exposed areas but skied well. Snow depth varied greatly due to wind, with some small gullies trapping deeper new snow.