Quick report
- Red Flags
- Recent Avalanches, Wind Loading, Cracking
Toured in Pleasant Creek this afternoon at elevations ranging from 7,400 to 10,300 feet, on predominantly north facing slopes. Main story of the day was increasingly sensitive windslabs. Today the only place where these seemed to be an issue was right below ridgelines and their behavior was predictable. I think the bump to moderate danger for today was spot on. i think things could be pretty touchy tomorrow depending on how much snow we get and how wet it is.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>Winds were strong enough to drift snow today, predominantly onto east and north facing slopes. This problem was increasing throughout the day. I experienced minor cracking in fresh wind drifts along the skintrack. In the late afternoon I noted some small natural windslab avalanches and then triggered one myself on a ski cut (see separate avalanche entry.) This was my third day in a row skiing in this area and this is the first time I saw the new snow slabbing up. I would expect this problem to increase and perhaps become more consequential with continued moderate winds and more snow tomorrow.</p>
The remarkable snow conditions continue! Probably about 4 more inches of low density snow fell today, on top of about 6-8 inches that fell over the previous two days. Snow was bonding well outside of wind affected zones below ridgelines. North aspects are totally bottomless at upper elevations. The new snow got a little bit damp below about 8,700 feet but not too bad and certainly not enough to provoke any wet activity.