Quick report
3/18-3/22 Snow surfaces froze every night above 8,000’ (despite telemetry), incrementally gaining thickness with each freeze/thaw cycle. Peak instability of wet loose activity occurred 3/18-3/20 primarily on SW-S-SE aspects. No wet slabs observed. Water percolation was limited to top 30cm of the snowpack, except isolated southerlies with a shallow snowpack above rocks. Cold, dry snow found on wind sheltered northerlies above ~9500’. Lots of previous wind-effect observed, with little to no snow left to transport. Moving forward, biggest concern would be NW-N-NE aspects that did not experience the freeze/thaw cycle above 9500’ during our travels. Digging down, we found one-two step hardness changes 1-2’ deep between old wind slabs and rounding, moist facets. Travel conditions: Drastically decreased snow coverage in lower elevations with bare ground on Redfish Lake Rd. Bench lakes still frozen.
Avalanche
- Size
- D1.5
- Aspect
- SE
- Trigger
- N
- Elevation
- 9500 ft
Numerous wet loose activity that occurred the 19-20th during the afternoon. Specific to southerly aspects around rock features. Similar wet loose activity observed in other cirques D1-1.5, R1. Larger D2, R1 occurred over at Williams 3/18, already reported