Steamboat & Flat Tops

Broken to scattered skies. Temperatures near freezing. Winds were calm to light from the west, with the occasional moderate gust at ridgeline. No new snow.

Below treeline, the height of snow was about 35-60cm., though south facing slopes around 10,000 feet that were steep enough to avalanche had discontinuous snow coverage. Digging a quick snow pit on a flat slope at 10,400 feet, I found a 30cm slab that was fist to four-finger minus in hardness, above fist-hard entirely faceted snow to the ground. Boot penetration was to the ground. It’d be hard to imagine an avalanche occurring here, and if one did, with the hundreds of downed trees, it couldn’t propagate or run very far. Above treeline, terrain with any western tilt was stripped or devoid of snow. Even on more eastern aspects leeward to the ridge I was struggling to find snow depths more than 55cm. Digging a pit on an east aspect above treeline where snow height was 50cm, the slab was too thin and soft to propagate. I’d suspect there are isolated pockets above treeline with previously wind-drifted snow where one could trigger an avalanche, as the snow on the ground is very weak. Near tree-line is the area of greatest concern. Here I found the snowpack to range from 50-75cm. Where deeper, the slab was close to 40cm, and while relatively soft, was sitting above very weak facets and depth hoar. In two extended column tests on a northeast slope near-treeline, I saw propagation with moderate taps atop the depth hoar 15cm from the ground. I also experienced some minor cracking around my skis while traveling the near-treeline elevation band.