Quick report
- Red Flags
- Recent Avalanches
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Red Flags were mostly relegated to instabilities within the new snow that were reactive in only the upper snowpack down to 20cm. Releasing small pieces of cornices resulted in a small pocket of Soft Wind Slab Wind that was 45cm deep and 3 meters wide. Slope cuts and these cornice releases were easily able to initiate fast running entrainment of the surface snow that were mostly running in the upper 10cm and occasionally digging down to 45 cm deep. There were Isolated natural Dry Loose observed in steep cliff band areas on all aspects. Of Note was the obvious avalanche activity that was a result of natural Cornice Failures at 9800' N and NE, and one area was at least 50 to 75 meters wide and ran to transition zones piling up significant debris piles. It was still easy to identify the current weak layer that lies directly above the dirt layer that is now buried up to close to a meter deep on the polar aspects. Shears were moderate to hard in hasty pits and there was no indication they were reactive in the steep terrain ridden as the slab was very soft and uncohesive. In areas where there was a significant contributing factor of wind to help make the slab potentially cohesive this problem was Likely more of a concern and a problem. Finally there was a sensitive storm break weakness that was probably the most reactive in the polar areas traveled and it was anywhere from 15 to 25cm down. </p>
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>See above</p> <p>Winds with possible greenhousing appeared to contribute to avalanche activity reported today promoting reactive Soft Slab issues/problems. The lingering and any future developing wind slabs may continue to present issues/problems. </p>
Storm total snow/HST was variable with the protected polars having at least 30 inches as indicated by Foot Pen and deep trail breaking. Solars and wind exposed terrain were more based up due to the Strong SW winds that were active in the early to mid part of the storm, combined with the warming on Thursday 3/6. East aspects got damp by 10:00, S and SW aspects were damp by 11:30. Regardless, the light snow that fell during the day continued to cap the warming snow surfaces. Riding was excellent on all aspects with the Polars incredible.