Quick report
- Red Flags
- Wind Loading
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>No avalanche activity observed again today. Yet, wih the winds ramping up in the afternoon it is highly likely that upper elevation ridges and terrain features were receiving loads that may have been close to tipping the scales. </p>
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>Forecast for pre frontal winds on Sunday appears to be enough to not only damage some of the terrain in the mid to upper elevations on the west side of the compass, but also promote more wind slab issues on the east side of the compass. E and SE aspects may be more dangerous due to the firm crusts underlying the latest round of precip. </p> <p>Cold overnight lows may prevent the same E and SE upper elevations aspects from receiving enough solar input to initiate Wet Loose activity, but if the sun continues to be out in the late morning and afternoon S through SW should see significant Wet Loose avalanching, especially on the steeper slopes. </p> <p>Cornices continue to be a concern. </p> <p>Sluffing on the very steep northerly facing terrain will also continue. Tilt tests continue to identify weak reactive snow 8 inches down with clean shears in a light density layer. </p> <p>If the winds and or sun are able to promote natural avalanche cycle, then Sunday should see a danger rating of Considerable. Until then the danger for Saturday and into Sunday appear to be Moderate for Wind Slabs, Wet Loose and Dry Loose. </p>
Both trail breaking and downhill riding was significantly improved from Friday. Significant sized settlement cones were observed, and conservative settlement estimates were at least 35%. As a result low angle riding was fun, and sluffing was not as reactive. Leeward slopes in the most exposed areas were much thiner with wind sculpting.