Snowpack

Observation: Willard Peak

Logan JamisonOgden
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Quick report

Aspect
Northwest
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Elevation
2713 m
Slope Angle
20°
Red Flags Comment
<p>Moderate to strong winds were moving around what little soft snow was available to transport.</p>

General conditions are pretty grim out there. The wind has been ravaging snow surfaces on all aspects (see photo of east-facing slope looking toward Ben Lomond). Travel is still relatively easy, but the most wind-affected slopes are very firm and hard to hold an edge on while skinning. I did not dig below the rain crust at about 50cm.

Snowpack

Instability Comment
<p>Any avalanches due to wind drifted snow would likely be relatively small, but I would expect you'd be able to pull something out if you went looking for it.</p>

It's getting harder to find good snow. Most everything other than the most sheltered, shady aspects is wind affected and/or has a melt freeze crust. The 0.5-1" of new snow that fell actually did improve riding conditions a bit, smoothing out the snow surface ever so slightly.