Quick report
Due to the nature of the events that played out this fall, we have a persistent slab problem in our snowpack. Although it is possible to dig a pit, and not receive results that make you think, "I probably shouldn't ski or ride this," the fact is the bottom of the snowpack has weak snow. Only time will tell how the weak snow at the bottom of the snowpack will react when we see more of a load.
Weather
- Air Temp
- 28
- Cloud Cover
- few
- Wind Loading
- light
- Snow Avail For Transport
- small smounts
Generally a nice and balmy day.
Snowpack
My partner and I traveled in the Western Wallowas to an elevation of 7,400'. Low-elevation snow coverage is thin but passable. At 7,300' I dug a snowpit on a Northwest aspect and found a total depth of 90cm or 3'. Snow that fell in late October comprises the bottom 8" of the snowpack, which is my layer of greatest concern. This snow is weak, and I received multiple failures on the ground in both small-column (CT) and large-column tests (ECT).