Quick report
• No recent avalanche activity observed. • Some additional information on the Shields Creek avalanche: o Occurred on a SE aspect, top of crown was at about 6800’ and the debris terminated at 5500’ for a vertical fall of 1300’ (photo). o A destructive size 3 of 5 (D3) hard slab with an estimated crown height of 2-4’ and crown width of 500-600’. o Debris had gouged to the ground in the lower start zone and track and broke a few trees. • No signs of instability observed today but we stayed in terrain sheltered from the wind. • Above us on the ridge crests moderate to strong SW winds were moving substantial amounts of snow and likely forming fresh wind slabs throughout the day. • 1” of snowfall overnight above 6000’ with but a trace on the Canyon floor. • Under the fresh snow we have a new melt-freeze crust that is several inches thick below 5500’ on all aspects. This made for fast travel today…where there was snow. • Above 6000’ on northerly aspects this new crust was breakable on skis and only about 1” thick. The snowpack was moist for about an inch or two below the crust and then quickly transitioned to dry below this.
Weather
- Cloud Cover
- overcast
- Wind Loading
- moderate
- Rain Elevation
- 5000
- Recent Snowfall
- 2
- Snow Avail For Transport
- small smounts
• Mostly overcast skies and less precipitation than forecasted. About 2” of new snow above 6000’ by the end of the day and no accumulation on the Canyon floor as precip. transitioned to rain. • Calm to light winds from the west for most of the day, then clocking to the east and increasing in speed around 1500 hrs. • Air temperatures reached the high-30s °F on the Canyon floor but then fell rapidly around 1500 as cold air pushed over the Divide and flowed down the Canyon.