Quick report
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>There was some minor loose wet activity visible on the sunny and steeps at the highest elevations, which I assume must have happened yesterday (20200326) during breaks in the weather. Visible surface wind effects at the upper elevations including some ripples and scallops, but limited pillowing or significant loading. I'm sure hard wind slab can be found up high in the right place, but it's not widespread (Dead Tree and the Hogsback featured uncharacteristically well preserved surface snow). Significant reduction in size and number of cornices on the ridges from a week ago, but I'm now quite wary of those that remain.</p>
Snowpack
Still pretty good surface conditions out there today if you're pow hunting, though I'm skeptical of how long that will last as we continue the move into spring. Widespread fine grained surface hoar at low elevations this morning, though I expect most of that sparkle disappears soon. New snow is right side up F to 4F and is already pretty cohesive as it becomes more dense and damp. Hand shears and quick pits revealed bonding to the old surface varies from okay to pretty good (especially down low where the underlying snow is wet). While a soft slab remains possible, I don't think there's enough of a weak layer/interface or energy to cause significant hazard (at least in the low and mid elevation locales where I traveled today). Test slopes revealed no serious problems, with minor rollerballs in the surface snow.