Quick report
• No avalanche activity observed. • New snowfall from last night totaled about 2-3”. Another 2-3” accumulated on the Canyon floor today (0.20-0.40” water) and 3-4” above 6000’. Quite a bit less than expected. The uppermost 2-4” of today’s snowfall consisted entirely of graupel. • The storm may have lacked in precipitation, but it made up for it with wind. Moderate to strong SW winds were observed at all elevations. Extreme wind gusts were noted at ridgetop locations. • The wind affects and slight warming throughout the day created an upside layering in the upper snowpack with denser snow (wind slab and graupel) on the surface resting on top of low-density powder. • Despite this snowpack structure, signs of instability were limited where we travelled. Several ski cuts resulted only in minor cracking underfoot. The propagation propensity just wasn’t there. I suspect slabs were more developed and reactive in locations with more severe wind loading. • Dug a hasty snow pit on a southerly aspect at 6500’ in a location sheltered from the wind: Snow depth was 51” with about 24” of soft snow resting on top of a late-December crust. Extended Column Test resulted in ECTN6 about 6” down from the surface on the interface between the dense graupel layer and the lighter powder snow underneath. • The snowpack on the Canyon floor is finally about foot deep.
Weather
- Cloud Cover
- overcast
- Wind Loading
- intense
- Recent Snowfall
- 5-15
- Snow Avail For Transport
- large amounts
• Overcast skies with moderate to strong SW winds and plenty of blowing and drifting snow. • Snowfall was most intense (S2) around daybreak, then tapered off and was intermittent in nature. After noon precipitation consisted entirely of graupel. • Daytime high air temperatures just reached the freezing mark on the Canyon floor and low-20s°F above 6000’.