Quick report
- Aspect
- East
- Red Flags
- Poor Snowpack Structure
- Elevation
- 2682 m
- Slope Angle
- 21°
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>You still sink to your waist into buried facets on northerly/easterly facing slopes although you can stay on top with skis or a machine.</p>
Photo below of our pit location on Whiskey Hill
Video below of wind loading. Not much, but enough for me to stay off it.
Selected LOW danger because slides seem unlikely but not impossible. It's a toss up between MOD or LOW with the buried facets that still spill out of the snowpit. We were discussing the danger rating in the parking lot and one guy overheard us. His thought was that avalanches can happen when it's a low danger....that's just the way nature works. So, for this ob for the Monte Cristo area I'm saying LOW. Honestly, I'd be really surprised to hear of an avalanche in that area.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>Surface hoar buried 10 inches deep seems to be affected by the warmth. The slab of snow on top of it has definitely changed and maybe the surface hoar has gained strength. Regardless of what the cause, it seems less reactive. Additionally, we shoveled snow on top of the snowpack in one area and left for an hour or two to let it sinter. When we came back, the surface hoar remained unreactive in stability test despite the artificial load of snow on top.</p> <p>The main concern remains facets about a foot above the ground. I'd be surprised to hear of an avalanche on them now. With the next storm (whenever that is), they could get active again but it may take >1" of snow water equivalent.</p>
There was no rime crust on the surface at the beginning of the week. There is one now. Could be a melt freeze crust but looked more like rain or rime.