Quick report
Went for a jaunt BTL in Tioga pass to assess snow quality, coverage, and the present of our weak layers.
Variable snow conditions, barely enough coverage to travel up and down on skis safely below 8500'. Snow below 8500' was shallow, wet, and re-freezing making travel difficult.
Known weak layers broken up where I investigated. Inconsistent, but present structure of DH/facets at ground, MF crusts, and then a right side up snowpack. Surface ranged from soft, to wind skin, to MF crust.
Deepest HS = 100 cm, shallowest = 0 cm.
No instabilities observed. Underfoot cracking in a surface MF crust and a wind skin over much of the terrain.Weather
- Cloud Cover
- overcast
- Recent Snowfall
- 2 cm
- Snow Avail For Transport
- moderate amounts
It was warm and humid at the TH, (38 degrees @ 1 pm). It was snowing on and off until snow kicked up to S1 @ 4 :30 pm. Skies were cloudy to obscured all afternoon. Winds were light with infrequent moderate gusts. I could see winds moving lots of snow at higher, NTL and ATL elevation. Blowing snow was minimal when and where I traveled today. Temps began to drop as I exited the field.
Snowpack
Snow below 8500': 0 - 30 cm snow, saturated (moist to wet) top to bottom. Crusty near end of day when snow surface began to refreeze as temps dropped.
8500' N: HS 40 - 100 cm, ground cover dependent (rocks, trees, etc.) Mostly either a wind skin or MF crust on surface. Then right side up snowpack above variation of MF crusts and facet layers. Well developed DH present in some areas, not others. Couldn't isolate a column to test, too many ground obstacles where I was. Snowpack dry to moist until MF crusts.
9000' NW: HS 60 cm, ground cover variable, but not as much as at 8500. No crust/skin where protected. Right side up above small MF crust and small layer of facets ranging in size. MF crust ranged in hardness from Ice lens to 1 F. Facets below 4F - 1F, varied in size. Some areas with DH, others just facets. ECTN27 on a density change mid pack. Snowpack dry, DH/facets moist.