Quick report
- Red Flags
- Recent Avalanches, Cracking, Collapsing, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Avalanche activity continues to occur each day, and this combined with collapsing and cracking observed today in the Brighton Perimeter indicates the Poor Snowpack Structure is an issue of concern. </p>
A plea to Avalanche Educators and other recreationalists that are out there digging snow pits. This photo was taken on 12/29 at 1600 hours. It was near Dog Lake in BCC, on the north side of the ridge that ascends to the Dog Lake Chutes, and eventually the north ridge of Pioneer Peak. Obviously, this was the work of an avalanche class in the past two days. Please fill in your snow pits; and if you are an avalanche educator please teach your students to do the same. If you were in this class, please inform your fellow students and the instructor to go out there and take care of this hazard and eyesore.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>Buried facets at the interface of the old snow surface prior to all of the new snow from the Christmas storm events appear to be the significant reactive weak layer and player in the majority of the avalanche acitivity. Of note, after speaking with avalanche professionals from upper BCC, and snow pit test appear to confirm this, the sensitivities observed in other locales do not appear to be as reactive in the limited areas near the Brighton Perimeter. All that said, the poor structure is similar and in place in these regions of upper BCC. ECT's and CT's have not been indicating a strong propensity for propagation at mid elevations in the upper BCC over the past two days. And regardless, the limited bridging that may be going on in this isolated area is not enough to instill strong confidence.</p> <p>The sustained upper elevation winds have been active for the past 48 hours, and upper elevaiton terrain may still be suspect. Mid elevation wind slabs were observed and they were stubborn and unreactive. Saturdays forecast indicates continued "breezy" conditions, and this may keep the potential for isolated pockets of wind slabs possible on slopes on the right side of the compass. These possibilities may increase slightly overnight and into Saturday. </p>
SE, S and SW aspects continue to get substantial solar radiation and develop m/f crusts. All other aspects have a mix of good settled powder and wind affected surface conditions. Pencil to knife hard Wind Crusts of up to 4 inches thick were observed even at mid elevations.