Quick report
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Despite decent storm snow amounts and wind, no obvious signs of instabilities.</p>
Today we were primarily traveling on East aspects between 9000' - 9800' and overall were finding a generally low hazard:
- storm snow was not sensitive to any stability tests;
- storm snow was well-bonded to old snow surface;
- old snow surface was solidly frozen and supportable;
- no fresh wind drifts were found.
The only issue we were finding were sensitive cornices along leeward aspects from westerly winds.
[Conditions may of course be entirely different in areas that received more snow and/or wind loading. We also did not look at the snowpack structure on north aspects.]
Photo is of my partner after kicking a few cornices along the East-facing Meadow Chutes ridgeline.
Video discussion of the generally low avalanche hazard conditions we were finding Tuesday afternoon in the Meadow Chutes.
Snowpack
About 20 - 30 cms (8-12") new storm snow that was well-bonded to old snow surface. Storm snow was not sensitive at all, and we could not find any wind drifting, however we only made it as high as 9800'. Cornices along East facing ridge were sensitive and easy to kick. These were 4F and mostly 30-45 cms (12-18") although a few approached a meter (3').