Quick report
- Red Flags
- Cracking, Collapsing, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>We are dealing with a weak snowpack that still gives us signs of instability on every tour we take. When we got off the skin track it was easy to see cracking as well as feeling a large collapse (whumph) in a well traveled area. To me this means that we cannot let our guard down. This collapse happened on a slope that was N facing around 9400' on the power line run. There were tracks all around and other backcountry travelers on N facing steep slopes nearby. Our PWL is still something not to be messed with. </p>
Shooting cracks from our fresh skin track today
Above photo - this crack occured above me while skinning in untoughed snow. To me this solidifies the fact that we are dealing with dangerous weak layers that will break above you and not give you any chance to get off of the slab. The continued slab formation above this layer is concerning. Don't let your guard down.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>We have multiple weak layers present on the N half of the compass and they are not going away soon. We should all consider to monitor these as we ring in 2021. The continued presence of collapsing and cracking means that you just need to hit the sweet spot on the wrong slope and it's going to be a bad day! </p>
The snow surface hasn't change much from the sheltered pow, recrystallized or NSF, and wind effected. Today we identified definitive DH though. At a mid elevation ~8600' the second in our party punch through a traverse on the skin track and sank about 30cm. The HS at this location was 95cm and it was easy to see cups and striations. It was not well developed but surrounded by other large grain facets >2mm. Above the faceted layer sat the well formed slab that we have been seeing throughout the range.