Quick report
We observed multiple small natural wet loose avalanches in steep terrain below cliffs on southerly aspects. Aside from the surface warming, we found generally stable conditions.
The current snow surface is getting weakened by the clear weather and diurnal temperature swings, and may become a larger problem when we eventually see additional snowfall.
Weather
- Air Temp
- 5-35
- Cloud Cover
- clear
- Wind Loading
- none
- Recent Snowfall
- 0
- Snow Avail For Transport
- small smounts
Inverted temperatures to start the day (30F at Galena Pass and 5F in the valley during drive over) warming throughout the day to above freezing.
Snowpack
- Widespread faceting in the upper 20cm of snow on N, NE, E, SE, and S aspects up to 9400' (top of our tour)
- The surface of solar slopes were moist by 1:30pm
- Widespread surface hoar below 8000'
- Subtle breakable melt/freeze (or rain?) crust buried 4-6" below the surface on N, NE, and E aspects below 7500'
- Quick pit at 8400' on a 25* E slope
- 85cm total depth
- ECTN21@60cm on subtle mid-storm layer
- Decomposing crust capping 15cm of moist basal facets
Avalanche
- Size
- D1 R1
- Count
- 3
- Aspect
- W
- Trigger
- N
- Elevation
- 9500 ft
We observed multiple natural wet loose avalanches on all solar aspects in mid and lower elevations.