Quick report
- Red Flags
- Recent Avalanches
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>During our tour from 930am-230pm, the main signs of instability were point release (dry loose) that naturally occurred around rocks and trees. On ridgelines or gully walls, this was easily triggered with skis (touchy) and would run until the slope angles lessened to <30 degrees.</p>
First time back here this season. Walking up the long glacial ramps you could feel the heat, and the snow went from dry to damp on ESE and S. Low angle held very good to excellent quality turns. The heli skiers in the area got their moneys worth and I was amazed by the lack of sluffing off their turns in steeper terrain.
1. Silver Creek Bowl Wind Texture
2. Outhouse Run and Outhouse Chutes Wind Texture
3. Skier triggered Dry Loose on east facing wall of gully feature below Sinner's Pass South in Mary Ellen.
4. Snow profile on northeast facing ramp mid drainage. Looking as good I have seen in a while. CT results at new snow interface and at older 1/18 near surface facets.
5. Natural Point release below SW Miller Hill
6. Skier triggered Dry Loose on steep north facing terrain above Pagan Basin
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>Plenty of dry loose on all aspects and elevations above 8900' in terrain visited. However, no slab avalanches were noted. </p> <p>We could find plenty of interesting textures across the drainage covered by a uniform 6" blanket of new low density snow. This gave the surfaces a very undulated look and it was quite interesting. In the alpine terrain of Outhouse Run, Silver Creek Bowl, and off the back of the AF East Twin, you could see how the wind had done its work. We did find some slick windboard in places in the lower drainage but nothing cracked or collapsed under our skis.</p>
As the day wore on, the SE-S-SW began to change and become damp. The MFcr from the days prior had a bit of a rebounding effect and the new snow sluffed easily on steeper slopes. Hard, slick windboard was present in many places from the wind event last week and the new snow moved with skier provacation. In the shadows on the northlery facing terrain, it was chilly at 2pm. This kept the snow surface quality intact in NW-N-NE facing terrain.