Quick report
- Red Flags
- Poor Snowpack Structure
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>From what we observed, most of the surface hoar has melted or been blown down above 8.5k except for a few patches in the trees. Near surface facets were between 3 and 10cm deep on most of the shady aspects we traveled on above 9k. We were surprised that we didn't see any signs of avalanche activity in this area, though it seems there's been very little traffic out there over the past week or so (likely due to the nasty between 8 to 7k feet). Maybe some slopes are still waiting for a trigger. </p>
Snowpack
On the SE aspect of Wilson Peak, the surface was getting pretty damp but the crust remained supportable while we were on it (we got off it around 1130.) We dug a pit on the NW aspect of Wilson, at 9,800', HS 85cm, CT14 RP down 15cm on rounds and defragmented particles; CT15 PC down 40cm on 4 to 5mm NSF. We didn't get propagation on our ECT. These results aren't all that alarming but playing with a poor structure and weakness (facets) like this feels like playing with fire, especially with the spacial variability that's out there right now. Up higher, at 10,100' SE facing, we found HS 70cm with rounding facets at the base and got a Hard Hand Shear.