Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>There were isolated pockets of wind-drifted snow on south-east aspects at 10,000'. These were on steep test slopes and were breaking on the dirt layer and then once I pushed down slope were stepping up to a density change 4-5" off the dirt layer and about 4-5" deep. Any location that did not have wind-drifted snow was new soft dry-loose and not going very far. This afternoon it needed a touch wind to create a problem. </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>New snow issues running on the frozen dirt layer were isolated to steep terrain over 38˚ degrees and had to be triggered by a rider. </p>
Snow was medium to high density new snow with more precipitation later in the afternoon and more snow around Lake Catherine than around Dog Lake. Under the new snow was a still visible dirt layer in wind-stripped areas and soft wind-drifts on the leeward side (south-east aspects). I would guess that terrain above treeline was more wind-affected and you might have been able to find a deeper wind drift in higher alpine terrain. Most of our travels were all aspects 8,800-10,200' below and just above treeline. Slope angles ranged from sub 30's to just under 40 degrees. You could still feel the old frozen snow surface on steeper terrain and in places where roller balls existed from last weeks warm up. The best riding was lower angle smooth surfaces.