Quick report
- Red Flags
- Heavy Snowfall, Cracking, Collapsing, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Widespread cracking and collapsing today with two issues - (1) collapsing on the facets buried underneath the rime crust, and (2) new snow remained sensitive. I think this is more of an issue at the mid-elevations where they received the bulk of the storm snow.</p>
Where we were traveling it was clearly a day to watch slope angles as well as anything above you and play things conservatively. Several loud collapses and cracking, with one crack propagating easily 20 meters (60') I did not see any evidence of naturals or human-triggered avalanches, but I think things were right on the brink and safe travel decisions dominated the day. I was finding more evidence of the buried rime crust in Millcreek than in Butler Fork in BCC, yet it did seem spatially variable so I really don't trust decision making based upon absence of the rime crust ..... because it may be present further down the slope or on a slope if you change aspects slightly. New snow instabilities will heal rapidly and I suspect the biggest concern at the mid elevations will be the New Years facets preserved underneath the rime crust. The faceted layer underneath the rime crust is anywhere from 60-100 cms down from the snow surface with the faceted layer 5-15 cms thick. I don't think there is a pattern to where the rime crust is present, so I'm not sure any aspect is necessarily green light once new snow instabilities settle out. I do not have a handle on this issue yet and once things settle out it will require careful and thorough stability testing.
[For my old friend who I ran into on the skin track today - great seeing you.]
FORECASTER NOTE: Greg is someone who's observations you should pay attention to. His observations are spot on. Greg, we have a position for you at the UAC if you ever are not working at Westminister! Kobernik
Snowpack
Impressive snow totals at mid-elevations in Millcreek Canyon. In some wind-drifted areas I was finding new snow depths up to a meter (3'), although for the most part new snow depths were 60-75 cms (24-30"). HS 1.5 - 2 meters. Snow felt quite a bit stiffer today than yesterday in Butler Trees in mid-BCC. Difficult trailbreaking and you needed to push slope angles to be able to make turns.