Quick report
- Red Flags
- Poor Snowpack Structure
We noticed several crowns today from natural activity this past week, with the bed surface filled in with additional storm and wind-blown snow. All avalanche activity I have seen this season involving slides breaking down into old snow have left at least 30 cms of facets and depth hoar in place, and one thing I'm keeping aware of is the possibility of repeater slides as these slopes have a thinner slab on top of the facets.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>The snowpack structure is really the only concern right now. On Saturday I was finding a thinner snowpack in Mineral Fork in Big Cottonwood (an "outlying area" outside of core Cottonwoods) with a ~1m slab on top of the facets. Much more snow with a stronger slab in Maybird (core Cottonwoods) - generally 1.8 - 2.2 meters HS, with the bottom 30-45 cms faceted. Natural avalanches seem unlikely (which fits the definition of Moderate) but the size of avalanches (large or very large) fits Considerable.</p> <p> </p> <p>Increasing stability in core Cottonwoods where there is deeper snowpack, with nearly 2m on top of the facets. Am more concerned of outlying areas (such as what I saw in Mineral on Saturday) and in Millcreek this past week where the snowpack is thinner with very weak facets underneath. </p>
Recent storm snow has really settled out, with 10-15 cms ski penetration, making for fast and easy travel on the snow surface. Some solars took on warming today, with thin crusts possible on some solar aspects on Monday.