Snowpack

Observation: Cutler Ridge

Megan Brandt, Bill Brandt, Lee FortinOgden
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Quick report

Aspect
Northeast
Red Flags
Wind Loading, Poor Snowpack Structure
Elevation
2652 m
Slope Angle
25°

Shovel Shear Test resulting in Q1 shear 94cm down. Failure above glacial ice layer at 26cm from ground.

Melt freeze crust approximately 30cm down.

A few crust layers in the top half of the snow pack that were pencil to knife hardness.

Snowpack

Instability Comment
<p>Shovel sheer test resulted in a Q1 shear 94cm down with CTX and ECTX. Persistent slab avalanches are not likely but will be large and dangerous if triggered.</p> <p>High winds during the past few days created wind slabs that are now stubborn and do not react to ski cuts.</p>

Thin breakable, melt freeze crust on wind effected snow at higher elevations.  Spring like, soft conditions below 7600 ft elevation which was where the skiing was the best.