Quick report
- Aspect
- East
- Red Flags
- Heavy Snowfall, Wind Loading, Cracking, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Elevation
- 2865 m
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>You could find it all today if you looked hard enough. The windloading was the most notable. We experienced cracking of the wind loaded surface while travelling along the ridglines that were being loaded from the strong wind.</p>
Notice the wind loading and cornice formation in the strong NW winds.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>Based on the wind and the expectation of it increasing, I think the new snow being transported by the wind will be one of the most pronounced problems on Monday.</p> <p>We were able to get a 15M wide loose slab of new snow to break loose on a very gentle roll over. The loose slab was very slow moving, but entrained enough snow that it could have knocked a person off their feet if they were not paying attention.</p> <p>With the warming temperatures and the snow getting more upside down, I would expect things to be very sensitive. Possibly a large natural cycle on terrain that now has buried surface hoar.</p> <p>Wet slides below 8000' could be an issue as well.</p>
A slightly upside down snow that I would assume got more upside down as the day went due to the warming temperatures. The snow was dense and supportable. Depending on locations, there were 1 or 2 crusts below the new snow with facets between the crust and the ground.