Quick report
- Red Flags
- Wind Loading, Cracking
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Wind loading wins today! Transport down to the mid elevations at times. Freshly formed cornices are minor but sensitive, crack a bit wider than the ski when kicking.</p> <p>One shooting crack in a sun crust! Cracked with minor spider webbing about 30' wide, culprit was near surface facets below the crust (see photos below) this was a 1st for me. 33 to 35 degree slope. At 1st I thought it was the most recent storm snow, but upon closer look, cracking was limited to crust only. ECTPV to ECTP1, Q1 at base of suncrust. Snow below crust was not cohesive enough to form a slab. More interesting than concerning. Happened on an east aspect in the aspen "sneak" into Toots to Boot.</p> <p>This gave me a chance to look at the basal layer of the most recent storm event and what might have caused the two skier triggered slides in the area. Culprit appears to be a thin layer of faceting decomposing crystals. Not really complete facets nor decomposing crystals. Hard call on the form. 1mm in size. ECTN, hard shear from behind (Q2).</p>
Photo 1: Upper snow profile in vicinity of crust crack. Crust on top, crystal card at basal faceting snow on top of sun crust, HS 120 cm in this area.
Photo 2: Crack in sun crust, macro view.
Photo 3: Crack in sun crust wide view, some spider webbing in lower right.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>Moderate danger for new wind slabs.</p> <p>Mid to low elevations. </p>
Snow surface above 8000 on shady aspects consists of dense loose snow and some wind crusts. Some very fined surface hoar.
Sunny aspects consist of a melt freeze crust.
All aspects damp below 8000'