Quick report
- Cracking
- isolated
- Collapsing
- isolated
Compared to our observations from terrain with similar snow depths earlier this week, stability continues to gradually improve. Slabs are decaying, and we observed fewer/smaller collapses and a mix of stable and unstable pit results. We remained cautious of larger or more consequential slopes above terrain traps. The current snow surface will certainly be a problematic weak layer in the future.
We produced 3 or 4 collapses that would radiate up to 30 feet (about halfway across the small slopes we were on). These failed about 18" deep on our November facet layer.Weather
- Air Temp
- Unseasonably warm
- Cloud Cover
- few
- Wind Loading
- none
- Recent Snowfall
- 0
Snowpack
There's still enough slab strength (some 4F) to keep ski pen from sinking to the ground, and facet sluffs aren't an issue yet. We produced a mix of ECTN and ECTP results below 45 cm slabs. Snow surfaces remained dry on E and NE aspects, and were wet on southerlies. 4-7 mm surface hoar was widespread on the aspects that stayed dry.
Avalanche
- Size
- D2
- Type
- SS
- Aspect
- SE
- Trigger
- N
- Elevation
- 12500 ft
Evan first noted the debris pile on 12/8. Likely ran late in the storm 12/6 or 12/7. Compared photos to coverage from 11/29, and more ground is showing, so I'm hypothesizing this ran below 11/30 crust in some areas. Not certain though.