Quick report
It seems the Baker NRA doesn't have the same issues with the buried surface hoar found in other parts of West North. But most avalanches related to surface hoar have been on shady, somewhat sheltered slopes, and both of those things are in short supply in this subzone. Wind slabs that didn't release naturally during the last storm are trending towards unreactive. While it was sunny and the snow warmed, the actual air temp wasn't notably warm and only a few wet loose avalanches were observed.
Rollerballs and minor shedding from cliffs with solar induced warming.Weather
- Cloud Cover
- few
- Wind Loading
- previous
- Recent Snowfall
- 0
- Snow Avail For Transport
- small smounts
Clear + sunny with increasing convective clouds through the day that made for periods of poor visibility by the afternoon. While the sun was out and the snow got thicker and moistened, it still wasn't that warm in the shade at upper elevations. Calm with signs of active, light wind transport at the highest elevations.
Snowpack
Stiff, 1F wind slabs on east through south aspects, 30-60cm deep, with plenty of signs of wind-affected snow on neighboring slopes that had more direct exposure to the wind. Below that, 70-100cm of storm snow down to the thin crust that marks the 3/9 interface - which is found nearly everywhere in West North. Storm snow is generally right-side up with a few hardness inversions, probably due to varying wind speeds and directions. CT's pulled out various RP shears in new snow layers. No buried surface hoar was observed, but a slightly weaker layer of rounded facets below the thin crust. Testing inconclusive.
Avalanche
Observed about ten natural slab avalanches to D2 in size on east through south aspects. Most slopes had signs of obvious wind loading. Based on partly filled-in crowns, a few inches of snow over debris, etc, these avalanches were all about 48 hours old and likely occurred during the last round of loading on Tuesday morning. A few wet loose on the very steep east aspect of Survey Pt. above Schriebers Meadow proper.