Snowpack

Observation: Red Pine Gulch

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Quick report

Travel was up to Red Pine with a run in a NW facing Bowl at mid elevation on the way up then a E facing shot up high, followed by a N facing run back to the lake. The NW consisted of light density snow sitting on a supportable, stout rime/rain crust ( the Dickens crust) which doesn't seem to be decomposing much, with some wind crust thrown in for good measure. The E facing has a much more fragile Dickens crust which is decomposing and almost non existent anymore but the breakable wind-crust made up for that. Anywhere that the light density has been scoured down to the rime crust is unpleasant and provides for slide for life conditions on select slopes. Basically the whole E facing side of the upper drainage had avalanched during last weekend's storm on the crust and had about 4 inches of light density on the bed surface. A cloudy night paired with warm temperatures today has slowed down the faceting process but the slick Dickens crust is the main concern for future stability with a storm forecasted for Monday.

photos: the Dickens crust shimmering in the sun where the light density had been blown off, part of the avalanche debris from the E facing slides earlier in the week.

Snowpack

Light density recrystallized powder on the N, W and E damp or melt freeze crust on the S end of the compass depending on time of day, still a stout rime/rain crust in the upper drainage, much stouter on the W and N than the E. Wind crust on various aspects in the alpine.