Quick report
Get it while you can! A lot of people agree as the Nobblets parking area was FULL...on a Monday.
I went looking for weak layers under the new snow from the last 2 or three storms. They exist and aren't too hard to find. In all cases, it took hard swings from the shoulder for these weak layers to break in my extended column tests. BUT, in all cases they also propagated which is a bad sign. Given the recent loading, test scores in the 20s is promising.
Near the Mill Hollow slide path that hits the road - there was a layer of facets under the second ice crust that broke on ECTP22 (photo 1).
Higher up on a north facing slope at about 9770, there was an obvious strip of surface hoar that fractured on ECTP24 (photo 2). Close up of the surface hoar crystals (photo 3).
However, in another location on a E aspect, no layers propagated in my tests (photo 4).
Given these high scores following a decent loading event, I think they aren't a major concern. I'll still be hunting for them and keeping them in the back of my mind...because that's just what I do.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>Winds have moved a lot of snow and the groomers had their work cut out for them. Lot's of drifting starting at about the guard station.</p>
Obvious dust layer in the new snow from pre-frontal winds on Saturday, March 2 (photo below)
The snowpack in many places is 1.5-2 meters deep (5-6.5 feet deep), and in some places it is 3 meters deep (nearly 10 feet!!).