Quick report
- Red Flags
- Heavy Snowfall, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Close to another 3/4 of an inch of water...just waiting for the straw to break the camels back.</p>
Wanted to look at some snow below 8,500' after the 12/14 observation of collapsing at 7,900. Sure enough, a weak layered snowpack. Old snow at those lower elevation will be found in very northerly facing, shady slopes, often steep - like creek beds, ravines, road cuts - all classic terrain traps. I see no reason we won't get some low elevation avalanche activity if we get heavy snow at the lower elevations.
While there was no propegation on the ECT, I felt like there easily could have been if I'd move a few feet in one direction or another. It is so close... Also, when I jumped on the back wall of the pit at the end (partially to fill in the pit), there was failure that propegated at the crusts.
More of the same, slightly higher elevation. I'm wondering what the results of a Rutchblock Block would be with the current conditions. Some of the lack of enthusiasm maybe due to a lack of a slab above the weak layers - still fist to 4 finger hardness here.
Snowpack
Low density snow, no real slab characteristics, but did want to sluff.