Quick report
Generally good stability throughout the tour. Experienced one small collapse on a north aspect. The snowpack on north slopes below 6000' is relatively shallow <24" (60CM) with a dense upper snowpack sitting on faceted snow at the ground. There is still cold, dry snow on N & E aspects even in the lower elevations. Surface snow exposed to the afternoon sun on S aspects was becoming moist. Observed several small point releases adjacent to larger rocks and small loose wet slides. With the forecasted weekend weather, potential for larger loose wet slides on south aspects and cornice failure onto N/NE aspects. Observed several small point releases adjacent to larger rocks on S, E and even NE aspects. Several of the large south facing gullies in Sawtooth Creek had small (D1), loose wet slides starting by early afternoon.
Weather
- Air Temp
- 21-40F (-6 to 4C)
- Cloud Cover
- few
- Wind Loading
- previous
- Rain Elevation
- Not observed
- Recent Snowfall
- 6" (15CM)
- Snow Avail For Transport
- none
Mostly clear, sunny skies. Temperatures stayed below freezing in the higher terrain <30F (-1C) but warmed to above freezing 40F (4C) in the lower elevations by mid afternoon. There was a light, steady wind from the south <5MPH most of the day.
Snowpack
About 2-3" (5-8CM) of new snow earlier this week below 6000' and 6" (10CM) above. Signs of previous wind transport and loading from westerly winds but nothing post storm. Below 7000' there is a supportable melt freeze crust from the warm temperatures, sunshine last weekend. Above 7000', primarily on south aspects, there is a 3cm thick buried melt freeze crust approximately 15cm below the surface with a thin layer (2CM) of soft snow (4F) sitting on firm (1F) snow below the crust. Stability tests on a SE aspect at 8400' didn't generate propagation ECTN 13 @ 20CM and compression tests resulted in non-planer fracture characteristics. CT20 @20CM (BRK). As the surface snow (15CM) gains moisture from the warming temperatures and full sun, there is potential for the crust to prevent moisture from percolating into the snowpack.
Avalanche
Observed several small point releases adjacent to larger rocks on S, E and NE aspects. Several of the large south facing gullies in Sawtooth Creek had small loose wet slides starting by early afternoon.