Quick report
- Aspect
- Northwest
- Red Flags
- Poor Snowpack Structure
- Elevation
- 3170 m
- Slope Angle
- 28°
After a few quick laps to the top of the Great Western Lift, decided to look at the snow on a NW-facing aspect in Hidden Canyon just outside of Brighton resort. This area is a glass-is-half-empty view of the snowpack: After seeing several reports this week of facets down near the ground beginning to gain strength, I was interested in how things would look in a rocky upper elevation area that currently has a generally thin snowpack (45-60 cms). Was not disappointed. Faceted layer at the ground is showing no signs of strengthening with 3 mm of well-developed, facets and striated depth hoar. Tried performing an 120 cm long extended column and it sheared upon isolation (ECTPV) failing down at the ground.
When it does snow (we all have to keep telling ourselves it will!) I will remain leery of upper elevation areas with a thin snowpack. They are susceptible to continuing faceting over this coming week as well. (Brett and Mark also pointed out on Friday.)
Photo is of weak snow down at the ground.
Video of my partner Dave Pease looking at the weak snow at the ground.
Snowpack
Snow surface appears to be weakening somewhat. Also noted what *may* be radiation recrystallization. This never seems to become a problem as I've never seen it preserved as a weak layer, but it's pretty cool to observe on the snow surface. Essentially a thin 5-10 mm layer of faceted snow sitting on top of thin sun crust.