Quick report
- Red Flags
- Wind Loading
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>The wind loading was the main concern for our groups, as we purposely avoided low elevation steep terrain where the danger of triggering a disgusting wet loose lava flow was more pronounced. </p>
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>New cornices were forming atop old sagging cornices along ridges between 10-11k. No cracking was observed during our travels, but will be giving these a wide berth in the days to come. Some small pillows and drifts (30-50cm deep) were also forming off the ridgelines on leeward slopes and terrain features. </p> <p>It was interesting to observe the storm slab (albeit only 10-15cm deep) forming before our eyes. Especially out of the wind zone where the snow was falling on smooth surfaces. We were getting resistant shears in our hand pits and even a couple CTM and CTH results. The shears were Q3 failing on some of the smaller graupel from the beginning of the storm, running on the smooth, decomposing temperature crusts. This was not a true problem and was easily managed by our group. However, it may become something to be cognizant of if the forecast produces and we get that 1"+ of H20. Be cautious of venturing into steep committing terrain where a small pocket would take you into trees or off a cliff.</p>
The new snow appeared to bond quite well to the old snow surfaces where the winds hadn't stripped it away. The old surfaces ranged from semi frozen corrugated mank, to smooth melt/freeze crusts depending on aspect and elevation. Down low it was apparent the new snow was insulating the saturated old snow and it was a sloppy, messy, goop that stuck to every thing it touched. Above 9500 feet, the graupel had really filled in a lot of old tracks/trenches, especially in sheltered terrain. This made the skiing supportable and fast and it remained quite good in the untracked areas all day long.