Quick report
- Aspect
- Northwest
- Red Flags
- Heavy Snowfall, Rapid Warming
- Elevation
- 2804 m
- Slope Angle
- 28°
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Snow from this past week has added a bit of depth to the snowpack and is helping to burry older faceted snow. Although snowfall ended Thursday, this much snow in a short period of time warrants caution.</p> <p>Roller balls were a clear indication of warming of the snow surface. </p>
This is probably the first pit all season that we've dug without facets in the upper meter of snow. Grauple layer present at about 30cms down. Typically these heal faster than other grain types but still warrants caution.
Evidence of sticky snow
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>Although we didn't ski anything steep or south facing, roller balls were an indicator of warming show and could have resulted in avalanche activity.</p> <p> </p> <p>Depending on elevation, we may not get an overnight freeze which will make this problem worse At higher elevations, colder temps could help produce a freeze which would help to keep the snow we have in place..</p> <p>In scattered places along ridgelines (at least where we were) wind drifted snow slabs were present. Some were very firm.</p>
Warming and greenhousing produced sticky snow that made both skinning and later in the day skiing difficult. In areas with evergreens, snow falling from trees created snow bombs that made skiing not as smooth. Skiing also produced numerous roller balls that could grow up to 1' in diameter. Many aspects will likely have a crust tomorrow AM.