Point 6

The storm continued today up on Point 6 with ongoing snow and wind. Storm totals thus far at upper elevations in the area were roughly 12-18 inches. Moderate west winds were loading the new snow onto leeward aspects along ridgelines. The new snow was reactive in wind affected areas. I observed shooting cracks and triggered one small wind slab on a wind loaded upper elevation east aspect. The new snow was not as slabby in wind protected areas. Steep slopes in those areas produced small dry loose avalanches instead. 

There is uncertainty surrounding the sensitivity of the persistent slab problem. This storm added a significant amount of weight to the weak layers buried in the snowpack. The weak layers were not very sensitive where I dug a snowpit, but the overall structure is still poor with sugary facets buried by a 2 foot thick slab. I did not observe any signs of instability on the buried weak layers (like whumpfing) while traveling around. 

I dug a snowpit on an east aspect at 7700 ft. There was 15" of new snow from the storm cycle resting on a very thin rain crust. There was a weak, surgery layer of facets buried 2 feet deep. The facet layer propagated during extra taps of one extended column test, and failed but did not propagate on the 29th tap in another extended column test. There were also some minor, nonpropagating results within the new snow.