Pole Canyon

Rode to Fogg Hill area. Numerous avalanches from our last storm cycle observed that failed on the 1/4 interface. Talking with some local, long time riders, a lot of these slopes don't typically avalanche. This really depicts how weak that 1/4 layer is due to the prolonged drought in December and fairly widespread surface hoar. The slab above this weak layers is getting harder to trigger, but we aren't out of the woods yet. Overall snowpack here is fairly shallow compared to the Tetons and Mosquito. HS above 8000' was roughly 45". This means the slab will be easier to trigger in these shallower zones. North and east aspects are certainly the most suspect. 

 

Significant settlement over the warm weekend. 3-4" of new snow above 8000' that sits on a crust that is easy to break through on a sled. The upper snowpack slab is really firming up. Dug two pits to compare N and S aspects and stability of 1/4 weak layer.

NW aspect 8800': HS: 45" ECTP11 down 16" on well preserved surface hoar above a 2-3 layer of facets (2mm).

SE aspect 8300': HS: 46" ECTP23 down 34" below a melt freeze crust on facets (2-2.5mm). This location was certainly a bit wind loaded as seen by the significantly deeper slab above 1/4 layer.