Quick report
- Red Flags
- Recent Avalanches, Wind Loading, Cracking, Collapsing, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Poor snowpack structure is obvious and can be found on all aspects except due south from Brighton and higher. Collapsing and cracking has lessoned when compared to two days ago, but was still able to initiate this red flag in numerous locations. Of note, the overlying slab appears to be stiffening and providing a minimal and insecure bridge over the buried faceted layers. Left the alpine before wind slab development had a chance to get going, but with substantial snow available for transport, it appeared obvious that NW, N and NE aspects were getting loaded above 9600 feet in exposed terrain. </p>
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>As has been noted by all other observations, the October snow is extremely weak. This problem now appears even more dangerous than it was several days ago when it was very easy to remotely trigger avalanches. At this point, the overlying slab may allow travelers to venture out further on to slopes with angles approaching the upper 30's in steepness before collapse failure may be initiated. And, this problem may be increasing as the winds new snow may provide more load throughout the day. </p> <p>The southerly winds were obviously loading slopes that have the worst structure, and natural avalanches may have been possible later in the day. </p>
Attempted to get out early and hit the Alpine before the winds ramped up, but by 0830 the winds had risen to the moderate level in the upper elevations, and appeared to be escalating in velocity throughout the morning hours. As a result, abandoned this idea and headed back down to the mid elevation protected areas. Ankle deep powder riding was superb on moderate to low angle terrain. Old m/f crusts were observed on due south aspects that had slope angles 25 degrees and greater. 10 cm of snow overnight with another 4 cm by 1300 hours as S1 to S2 snow fall rates were observed.