Quick report
- Collapsing
- isolated
We found rain to 8,850'. Stability seemed okay overall, but we obviously had the warm temps and rain for red flags. We also heard two very loud and stubborn collapses that shook trees at least 50' away. We observed several instances of roller balls on steeper solar slopes. All signs, including our pit tests, were clearly telling us to keep terrain choices mellow. Best way to describe the skiing was manky. Rain, rollerballs on steep slopes, and a very stubborn but loud and large collapse that gave us the heebie jeebies.
Weather
- Air Temp
- Above 32
- Cloud Cover
- obscured
- Wind Loading
- none
- Rain Elevation
- 8,750'
- Recent Snowfall
- 1" above 8,750'
- Snow Avail For Transport
- none
Felt like the Pacific Northwest
Snowpack
We dug one pit at 9,000' on a NE slope at the top of the football field below Prairie Peak. HS - 130cm. Obvious January 6th crust at 70cm from the ground. A dense and wet slab sits above the crust with pen firmness to the top of the snowpack. Dry facets below the January 6th crust to the ground. ECTP25 at 70cm (January 6th crust). The hard slab that released from the column was very solid and firm. While it might be difficult to trigger an avalanche, the consequences seem very very bad. Snow was wet all the way to 9,400' and skied like various forms of mashed potatoes from top to bottom.