Quick report
- Aspect
- Northwest
- Red Flags
- Recent Avalanches, Rapid Warming
- Elevation
- 2865 m
- Slope Angle
- 25°
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Four sluffs, presumably wet releases, visible on east facing Raymond. Left most appeared to have tracks skiing out. Visible from Gobbler's shoulder was a glide avalanche on Bonkers in Broads fork.</p>
Extended column test just off Baker Pass was all dig and no fracture; in hindsight might have dropped further off ridgline to avoid history of wind loading.. General structure was a damp melt freeze layer at the base with a stiff slab (1 finger + into 4 finger) extending up to fist hard new snow. Shovel shear test revealed structure with 3 distinct planing surfaces in the 155 cm snow pack, all in the 55 to 85cm region. The bottom most of these layers slid on a faceted (now healing?) layer that appeared to include old graupel. Newest snow could also be separated from the 2-3 inch Saturday storm.
Squint at photo to see sluffs on Raymond and a bold-ish uptrack to the right.
Snowpack
Quintessential powder skiing down Main Gobblers, with very minor wind affect and no signs of instability in the area. More significant zipper crust (powder pulling moisture from Tuesday's low clouds and freezing?) skiing on west slope from Circle All ridge into Mill A, and hoar frost in that area as well. Settlement cones throughout. Some surface faceting in the shady aspen exit of porter fork, and ice at the bottom of the porter fork road. Watch for down trees and ruts!