Quick report
- Red Flags
- Wind Loading, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>The unceasing NW winds over the past 24 hours probably have led to some isolated wind slab development. Poor but improving snowpack structure, see below -</p>
1 -Access - We walked an hour before putting on skis. Photo of 'variable-at-best' conditions.
2 - Evidence of likely cornice triggered pocket on NE facing slope probably from last week.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p> </p> <p>Went to look for the drought layer facets on north facing terrain. </p> <p> </p> <p>On Saturday, Bo Torrey found these facets in Big Springs buried 80cm at 9200' (possibly wind drifted area) on a northeast facing slope.</p> <p>"Found the weak layer gaining strength but still propagating. Some moisture in the layer but not totally solid yet. Ectp’s in mid 20’s." </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>Today, on a north facing slope at 9300', we found these facets buried 45cm. Dry. HS of 200cm. </p> <p>Tests yielded ECTX x 2 and PST 90/100 (End) and PST 40/100 SF. Facets were 2mm, rounding with a hand hardness of 4F+.</p> <p>Photo shows blue line of this interface. The top 25cm includes a couple layers of graupel, a couple dust wind events, and rounding nsf from last week. </p> <p>* Some uncertainty still exists with this layering, particularly in the higher elevations. Caution and analysis is recommended in the high north country of the Provo mountains.</p> <p> </p>
Three inches of new snow; high density: well rimed, graupel with another inch or two on top. Winds have had their way with this and alternately scoured and drifted the new snow in the open terrain.