Quick report
- Red Flags
- Poor Snowpack Structure
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>At about 7,500', on north and northeast aspects, the persistent weak layer was right at the base of a 60-80cm snowpack and collapsed very easily with hand shears, sometimes even on isolation. It failed on 3-4mm depth hoar with a hard slab on top. At 9,500, the persistent weak layer was 60cm down (HS=155cm). I got a CT 13 60cm down and ECTP 15 60cm down sudden planar (see video below). Both failed on 4F garden on facets (1mm) with a pencil hard slab on top. </p>
Well developed surface hoar (3-4mm) on the flats and shaded aspects was observed below 8,000' in the sun and shade. Nothing above 8k. The rain crust from Jan 11 was non reactive in 5 stability tests. In many locations the crust was on the surface and on leeward aspects it was buried up to 23cm deep. The snow that wasn't too wind hammered was fun to ski; the late day crust on the eastern aspects were less fun...