Quick report
- Cracking
- widespread
- Collapsing
- specific
-Avalanches in 48 hours: 2 Lakes human trigger/catch and carry (see observations). Did not observe naturals due to occluded skies but they are certainly out there given the load on our poor structure. -We found relatively soft new storm snow that began demonstrating fairly widespread cohesion and cracking underfoot after 1,800'. It was most reactive in areas that had a more firm, defined rain crust and would either fail above or below this buried crust on facets. -We experienced one large whumph that felt like it radiated/propagated approximately 25' in multiple directions at 2,758' on a NE aspect while gaining Frostbite Ridge from. Note that we mainly traveled on the designated Skeetawk/Frostbite uptrack.
Weather
- Air Temp
- 29
- Cloud Cover
- obscured
- Wind Loading
- light
- Rain Elevation
- 1,800' (observed)
- Recent Snowfall
- 4-8"
- Snow Avail For Transport
- moderate amounts
Above normal temperatures meant we got less snow than forecasted today. At lower elevations, we experienced a wintery mix. Snowfall in the morning was intermittent S1 trending to trace. Skies were occluded, but we had windows of visibility across the the Little Su and down valley by the afternoon. Temps were near and above freezing. We are not out of the woods yet. All models look like Hatcher Pass could receive 3-5" of SWE by Monday EOD with high freezing levels (3,000') which means rain :/ Gracias, La Niña, **Note that the NRCS telemetry for all their SNOTEL sites went down at 1500 today. Standby for updates.
Snowpack
As predicted, this storm came in warm and wet. It was drizzling on Fishhook Road all the way up to the 1,000' pullout on the Little Su. At 1130, it was snowing at this location (snow levels climbed to 1800' by 1430. Between Skeetawk base and that altitude, we experienced wintery mix/intermittent snow. HN 4-8" between 1,500' (Skeetawk Base) and 3,000' (Lower Frostbite Ridge).
Storm slabs were soft and loose trending more reactive as we gained elevation. Felt a significant whumph (see instability above) as we broke trail to gain Frostbite Ridge.
Turns from just below 3,000' to 2,000' were smooth, hot pow. Below that, we could feel a buried crust and then later grabby, wet snow.