Quick report
- Red Flags
- Rapid Warming, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Though rapid warming would seem to be a red flag, didn't observe any other signs of instability in that regard. Snow was merely moist on exposed slopes. </p> <p>Snowpack is extremely weak. In shady areas out of the wind zone entire pack is loose and faceted 30-36" deep. Loaded areas are more complex with depth hoar at the ground, a mid pack layer of facets just beneath the Christmas storm, and a layer of buried surface hoar beneath las weekend's "storm" of 3". In some areas a stiff wind slab 6-8" deep overrides this surface hoar layer. </p>
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>Though persistent weaknesses/slabs remain, most of the energy seems to have gone out of the snowpack and we are now playing a waiting game until the next storm cycle. In addition, many of the larger starting zones above tree line have been scoured out by strong north winds of last weekend. As a result, areas of greatest concern are remaining pockets above tree line that haven't been scoured out, or those areas just below tree line where slabs have developed over the underlying facets. Though overall unlikely, I believe it would still be possible to trigger a deep, persistent slab in the range and I would still lend a cautious eye toward any steep, radical, or otherwise ominous looking terrain that had a NW-N-E aspect.</p>
Mixed bag of everything out there right now. In spite of warm temperatures, sun exposed aspects only became damp, not sloppy. Creamy, settled, re-crystallized powder in sheltered areas. Wind and sun crusts on exposed slopes. Most of the wind damage was on upper elevation northerly aspects, with many starting zones scoured to the rocks.
The great North Faces of the range showing rocks. From left to right, Mellenthin, Haystack, Tukunikivatz, and Tuk-no.
Upper Miner's Basin, Northwest Face of Pilot Peak.
Looking down Miner's Basin to Castle Valley. Lean looking south faces.