Quick report
- Cracking
- isolated
My party went to check conditions in Hillman’s and the lower snowfields to consider skiing. I found active wind loading on the leeward side (generally from a North wind) of various terrain features including the looker’s right, northern side of Hillman’s, of various depths between 6-18”. New, wind-driven snow was rapidly refilling ski tracks and boot prints. A more cohesive and reactive surface wind slab of 1-2” was beginning to form above 4600’ around 11am. Based on the continued snowfall and wind, I would expect this wind slab to continue to build overnight. Around 4200’ in the lower snowfields on generally E, ENE aspect, while skinning and conducting periodic hand shear tests I suddenly found a very reactive 1 finger layer of wind slab, averaging around 7” over several inches of graupel and large snow crystals. The graupel layer provided no support to the wind slab. When stepping on this unsupported snow, the wind slab sent cracks out around 4-6’ from me as the slab broke underfoot. The slab did not run but I opted to move away from the area. Wind was transporting snow in all directions. Overall I found much of the new snow to ski well, and not react much to skier impact, aside from the highly reactive and somewhat cohesive slab over the graupel. That said I’d generally expect more wind loading overnight.