Quick report
We explored a zone that has not recently recieved any observations. Of note, our conservative tour plan gave us little opportunity to poke the bear. We aimed to sample safe and representative slopes on all aspects. Here's what we found:
- Surface Hoar:
- We received multiple propagating results on this layer (ECTP4 and up). It was well preserved and up to 10mm in size, about 8"-10" beneath the surface. We found this layer on all aspects at upper elevations.
- This layer was dry everywhere we dug, including on a 30 degree south-southwest slope at 6600'.
- Slab:
- The slab is hardening, with widespread 1F snow near the surface, with softer snow below down to the weak layer.
- Liquid water:
- On the slopes beneath our feet above 6000', liquid water was relegated to the upper 5-10cm of the snowpack. We found no wet snow below this point.
- Previous Signs of Warming:
- On east through south through west aspects, most of the rollers and wet activity occured yesterday. Northerlies still held dry snow in this location. We observed no new rollerballs or pinwheels today, even on steep sun-blasted slopes.
- Surfaces:
- The overnight re-freeze was solid, seemingly at all elevations, leaving a supportable crust on sun-facing slopes where we traveled. Southerlies at the upper-elevations softened to form noteworthy corn(ish) skiing, with 1-2" of moist-to-wet snow resting on a ski supportable crust that made for lovely travel.
- To further illustrate the point of how cold and dry the snow surface was in the shade, a new crop of surface hoar was growing in sheltered locations.
Today we went in search of signs of instability, and even though we experienced nothing notable on the surface, we still stuck to our plan of low-angle terrain. Propagating pit results, visually obvious surface hoar beneth a stiffening slab, and ample warming from solar radiation showed the monster is still hiding under the bed.
Weather
- Air Temp
- 38
- Cloud Cover
- clear
- Wind Loading
- none
- Recent Snowfall
- 0
- Snow Avail For Transport
- small smounts
Clear skies and calm winds. Ample visibility and enough solar radiaton on southerlies to soften surface snow.
Snowpack
N / 6500' / 45°: HS= 170cm. ECTP4, 9, and 11 occuring 20cm down in SH 4-6mm. This was in a sheltered location. 1F at the surface down 5-10 cm, to 4F above the SH layer, with weak 4F small-grained facets below, transitioning to 1F at 70cm down to the Christmas Crust.
ENE/ 6,700' / 30°: HS=170cm. ECTP4 and ECTP5 25cm down in SH. 7-10mm and vertically oriented. This was a lightly wind-loaded slope off a sub-ridge, which would serve as a decent representation of start zones in the area. 1F slab above the 2cm layer of surface hoar, which was sitting on a breakable crust, with weak faceted snow below.
SW: Quick dig showed moist corn-like snow in the upper 4cm, which sat on top of a 1-2cm supportable crust. Intact surface hoar layer down 15cm.