Quick report
- Cracking
- specific
Reactive windslabs 5-20 cm thick were found in numerous pockets on the route up lower cracked ice. Slabs easily produced 2-3 meter long fractures and clean shears with ski cuts. No avalanche activity was observed. The sensitivity of these slabs indicates the potential for avalanches on steeper slopes with more continuous slab extent. Deeper more extensive slabs are likely to be found a bit higher where the wind has been more consistent. Other areas in Thompson Pass reported wind slabs being more stubborn so there is a bit of spacial variability with their sensitivity.
Overnight NE winds have created pockets of reactive windslab. Observations from road level to 3000 feet include many small areas of windslab 5-20cm thick that were reactive to ski cutting and hand shears. In some areas, slabs propagated 2-3 meters under skis. Shears were clean on top of dry storm snow. No avalanches were triggered due to the limited extent of the slabs and low slope angles. Several small slab avalanches were spotted below distant wind-loaded ridgetops. Recent D2 slab avalanche between Odessey and little Odessey.Weather
- Air Temp
- 19 at road
- Cloud Cover
- few
- Wind Loading
- light
- Rain Elevation
- Burried rain crust to 2200 feet
- Recent Snowfall
- 5-10cm in 24 hours. 55cm settled storm snow
- Snow Avail For Transport
- large amounts
Mostly clear conditions with a light NE breeze at the road level becoming moderate at higher elevations. Moderate snow transport from NE on ridgetops. Slight temperature inversion.
Snowpack
The snowpack above 2200 feet had a generally good structure in our area. The main concern being isolated areas of reactive wind slabs 5-20 cm thick on the surface. Below 2200 feet there was an ice crust buried 40 to 50 cm creating a potential bedsurface. This ice layer was a minimal concern in our area because of its limited extent. However, we did get reactivity on a non-hazardous isolated unsupported slope.