Quick report
- Cracking
- isolated
After reaching our high point of 7750' we skied a WNW aspect under stable conditions save for some obvious windslab (F, <12") on specific, isolated features. Winds were calm throughout the day •Still a bit of brush to deal with below ~5500' •The most recent M/F crust (~12/15) (<2cms; breakable) exists to 5500' with 2-4" of graupel and stellars capping it •Around 6500' all near-surface crusts dissolved and a somewhat upside-down snowpack was revealed in handpits (mainly from recent, orographic wind effect and above 7500', rime) •We comfortably skied gladed terrain (up to 36-38*) and avoided areas that harbored the soft windslab that was cracking underfoot on the skin track •We had great views of surrounding, alpine terrain which yielded no recent avalanche activity and Essex creek remains squeaky clean on both N/S chutes. I would question stepping out onto alpine slopes free of anchors with the current structure of the snowpack •No formal pits/stability tests with chosen terrain and lack of red flags (still cannot confirm or deny buried surface hoar in this location, but unlikely) Experienced minimal cracking underfoot above 7000' on wind loaded terrain. Winds were calm throughout, but it was evident upslope/up-canyon winds loaded atypical terrain in specific, isolated areas, primarily from the E
Weather
- Air Temp
- Below freezing
- Cloud Cover
- broken
- Wind Loading
- none
- Rain Elevation
- 5500
- Recent Snowfall
- 5cm
- Snow Avail For Transport
- small smounts
Snowpack
Surface snowpack (~12") at elevations above 6500' were wind-stiffened/graupel/dense powder and sitting atop weaker snow from the recent HP experienced in early December on WNW aspects.