Quick report
Found 55cms of total snow at valley floor and only 70 cms at 3600'. Ptarmigan creek is wide open. Snowpack is weaker and more unconsolidated than what was found on a South aspect of Moonlight on the 23rd. Stability tests produced no results. Despite the snowpack being thin and weak in this location the stability was good since there is currently no slab present in the upper snowpack. Expect for the snowpack sensitivity to change if the wx forecast proves true and we receive a significant warm up along with moderate snowfall.
No signs of instability observedWeather
- Cloud Cover
- overcast
- Wind Loading
- moderate
- Recent Snowfall
- 5
- Snow Avail For Transport
- moderate amounts
Winds were calm up to 3400'. New snow was being redistributed with active spin drift in steep upper elevation terrain.
Snowpack
Dug a snowpit in a thin area near brush line that is exposed to wind scouring. Choose this spot to see the effect of recent cold temperatures in a thinner area. Thinner is relative, as even "thicker areas" are still only about 1 meter deep. Total snowpack height at pit was 23 inches, and consisted of mostly faceted snow. Melt forms near the ground that have been observed in multiple locations were beginning to facet in this location. Stability tests produced ECTX. See pit profile for more detail.