Quick report
Better than expected conditions were found in the backcountry adjacent to the Stevens Pass Ski Area today. Along ridgelines there was about 20 cm of fresh storm snow which did not get gloppy on polar aspects until one traveled below 4500' where the tree drip had begun to moisten the snow surface. At lower elevations the freeze is still quite superficial as it was easy to push one's skis deeper into the old snow. Taking a ski off and stepping into the snow on a NW aspect around 4600' led to me sinking up to my thigh into wet melt forms. On solar aspects the snow became grabby even near 5000' as enough sun got through the broken skies to affect the new snow. A thin zipper crust began to form on solar aspects as a pulse of convective snow came through in the afternoon. Widespread roller ball activity with minimal entrainment.
Weather
- Air Temp
- 38
- Cloud Cover
- broken
- Wind Loading
- none
- Recent Snowfall
- 20
- Snow Avail For Transport
- small smounts
Broken skies throughout the day. Patches of sun were able to do their work melting the top layer of snow on solar aspects which began to refreeze during periods of convective snow showers in the afternoon. These showers were quick and intense dropping 1-2 cm of snow in a short time frame. Temperatures peaked around 38 degrees in the sun today.
Snowpack
Storm totals above 5000' hovered around 20 cm. Below that, totals decreased quickly with less than 10 cm at 4000'. The snow was fairly well bonded at the old/new interface and multiple ski cuts on all aspects failed to produce anything more significant than rollerballs. Generally light winds during the storm at these elevations led too little to no drifting or new cornice formation.
Avalanche
- Size
- D2 R2
- Aspect
- E
- Trigger
- N
- Elevation
- 4300 ft
Roller balls are fairly widespread with more snow being entrained on specific plunging slopes. Glide avalanches have also been observed on isolated rock slabs within the past week. I noted the Moonlight Bowl rock slabs released around 3/24. Since then, I've also noted that Slabs near the E Face of Tye Peak have released as well as slabs east along the ridge extending from the E summit of Lichtenberg.