Quick report
- Aspect
- Northwest
- Red Flags
- Recent Avalanches, Heavy Snowfall, Wind Loading, Cracking, Collapsing, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Elevation
- 2957 m
- Slope Angle
- 26°
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>All the red flags but one out there today. We didn't actually see avalanches but heard reports of large slides in the alpine. Cracking and collapsing were isolated but somewhat frequent. We even saw one long crack on a road cut driving up. We spent all of our time under 10,000' where the slab was very soft, but still reactive, and more dense than the underlying facets. </p>
It was a great day for an avalanche class with lots of red flag signs of instability, poor snowpack structure, and reactive stability tests. Thanks to the students for their engagement and real desire to learn. A great time was had by all!
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>The Feb 11 faceted layer was our layer of concern. A compression test produced a score of CT13 Q1 with failure at the bottom of the faceted layer, on top of the Christmas Rain Crust (CRC). An Extended Column test produced a score of ECTP13 at the top of the Feb 11 weak layer. At this low elevation (9600'), facets below the rain crust are well developed but they form a 1 finger (1f) to pencil minus (p-) hard conglomerate with ice forms and depth hoar. At upper elevations, basal facets below the CRC are mostly 4 finger (4f) or 4 finger plus (4f+) in hardness. </p> <p>Soft slab formation and loose snow sluffs were observed in the new snow. </p>
The mountains have finally been graced with light, fluffy, deep powder snow! The surface remained dry throughout the day, should still be dry on southerlies tomorrow.