Quick report
- Red Flags
- Poor Snowpack Structure
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>No red flags except poor snowpack structure. CT failed on isolation while ECT failed, propagated, and had Q1 only after 30 taps plus 2 boot stomps. (see video). </p>
Photos of snow coverage on Ben Lomond. The east/north sides have way better snow coverage.
The rain crust sitting under the "new" snow is unbelievable hard and thick.
Had failure upon isolation cutting out a CT.
Video - ECTP 30 taps + 2 boot stomps Q1. Unorthodox I know but it's amazing how much energy it takes to cause the failure as well as how much energy it fails with. Just showing that the facets are still weak and there is a slab on top.
Conflicting test results make me choose lower angle terrain.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>The STOUT, pencil hard, 6-8" thick rain crust that exists only about 6 inches down is so thick and strong, it's getting difficult for a skier to trigger a persistent slab on the very weak facets that exist well below the STOUT crust and above the glacial layer (which should just be considered the ground at this point).</p>
Snow surface was highly variable depending on elevation and aspect. Surprised to still find some "soft" snow on sheltered N facing slopes above 7200' but even those slopes had wind-affected areas. With warming daytime temps and no overnight refreeze the snow got moist and, where it was packed down, almost corn-like.