Quick report
- Red Flags
- Wind Loading, Cracking
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Lots of wind loading going on.</p>
Photos of above described natural slide.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>Many ridges are building up large hollow wind slabs. At 7000 ft. I was standing pondering my next move when a slope slid about 100 yards from me. It as 50 ft. across 12 inch crown on a 30 deg slope, north facing and ran on 50 vertical feet as it was a short slope. Very interesting all the same as it was a natural in front of my eyes! Looking at the bed surface, it slid on surface hoar from the 3 inches of snow that fell on 12/16 after the 3 inches of rain. On many of the more exposed ridges, I presume this surface hoar was blown to Wyoming or somewhere. This slope was mid elevation and somewhat protected however and the surface hoar very obvious. (My camera/phone died after two photos so no picture of the bed surface). I believe there are traps out there like this in addition to the obvious large cornices and hollow wind slab. </p>
Nasty surface conditions out there will test your character! Even the smooth surfaces are ruff. There are a few sheltered areas in the lower elevations that have a nice 2-3 inches of light snow on a bullet proof crust.