JFS Canyon

Dug profiles at multiple elevations to assess sensitivity and distribution of mid-January ice/ facets structure. The variability in structure and results was notable. The ice and facets were buried deeper at mid elevation profile site than our upper elevation site. The structure was generally but not completely unreactive. At the upper profile site, the layer of most concern was large, rounding depth hoar near the ground. 

Recent and drifted snow is forming a soft slab 15-30 cm thick at the snow surface. It produced some short cracks at uptrack corners and we released one small and harmless slab at mid elevations on our descent. 

A few short cracks on uptrack corners.

Snow profiles at 3 sites showed marked variability in snow height and structure. The snowpack at mid elevations was deep (275 cm) and well consolidated, with relatively homogenous layers at one site and the January facets/ ice buried more than 100 cm below the surface. At the upper elevation site, the snowpack was shallow (<150 cm), and composed of hard ice layers, rounding facets, and large-grained, rounding basal surface hoar. The mid-January ice and facets were less than 50 cm below the surface. 

5500, E: see attached profile. HS 277. ECTP 24 and PST 47/120 end on FC above mid-Jan. ice (@160 cm) and PST 76/170 end below (@152 cm). 

6200, W: HS 257. ECTx and DTx on rounding FC above mid-Jan. ice (@120 cm). Structure hard to identify; ice thin, not much harder than snow above or below. 

7100, W: windward slope. HS 143.  ECTN 18 mid-Jan. ice (@105 cm). Too windy to conduct PST. Xmas ice at 86-88. 41-0: 4F hard rounding facets and depth hoar, with largest, weakest grains at ~20 cm (DT 20 SC). 

Below about 5000 ft, snowpack is shallow and unconsolidated. Prone to wet slides that gouge deeply if/ when it gets meltwater.