Quick report
- The headwall was the only pit that saw sun and changed little from when we dug there during the warm spell last week. Slope angle 37, NW aspect, 9600', HS 75cm, boot pen 7cm, ECTX. Upper grains <.5 rounds/ MF forms, 2 crusts still present, some beginnings of facets occurring in upper snow pack. - Below Good Sign. Slope angle 32, NNW, 9350', HS 60, BP 60, ECTP13@40, Grains .5-1mm faceting rounds @40. Broke below upper MF crest that is partially decomposed. -Uphill of Bad sign. SA 35, NWN, 9300', HS 65, BP 65, ECTN18@50- upper crust, ECTP21@30- lower crust. Propagation on 1mm facets and faceting rounds @30 below crust - Mid ridge (doughboy) SA 38, NNW, 9150', HS 65, BP 65, ECTN16@35. Did not propagate but when upper slab is removed it shows a very planar surface on that lower MF crust .5mm facets - Ugly. SA 36, NNW, 9000', HS 55, BP 55, ECTP11@30. Planar but arresting on .5mm facets. Variable slab density above that 30cm consisting of several MF crusts Propagation in three out of five pits and developing NSF
Weather
- Cloud Cover
- few
Snowpack
Summary- The North, shaded aspect of this ridge has shown the snow pack deteriorating after the return of colder temps. Near surface facets/ faceting rounds were observed especially on the lower end of the elevations and snow depths. The propagation happened on one of two very obvious MF crusts with the lower crust being the more frequent culprit. Even where we didn't see propagation the failure on the planar surface is still a cause for concern. One other obvious note is boot pen was to the ground on all these shaded slopes.