Quick report
- Cracking
- isolated
I skinned up to Point 6 to check on the weather station and break the anemometer out of rime ice. The strong/extreme wind event on Thursday has shaped the drifts up there in uncharacteristic ways, with large drifts on the road, and unpredictable cornice formation. Coupled with minimal visibility and strong winds, this made for highly difficult travel. I tried to look over the edge into the Jenny Bowl, but really couldn't see anything, and didn't feel safe getting too close to the edge.
Below the Point 6 Ridge, the winds were light to moderate, with drifts forming on all aspects. I dug on a moderately wind-loaded southeast aspect and got a propagating extended column result with hard taps. I saw isolated cracking just around my ski tips in wind-loaded drifts and roll-overs.
The new snow was supportive and skied well. Even though there was a foot and a half of new snow up high, I only sank into it 5 inches or so while skiing. It was highly enjoyable "fast pow."
Below 5500' the new snow became moist, I was able to get small rollerballs to move on ski cuts, and ski quality decreased.
Due to low visibility I wasn't able to confirm or deny signs of recent avalanches. There was isolated cracking near my ski tips in wind-loaded drifts.Weather
- Air Temp
- 24
- Cloud Cover
- obscured
- Wind Loading
- intense
- Rain Elevation
- 4200
- Recent Snowfall
- 50
- Snow Avail For Transport
- large amounts
Very limited visibility up high due to fog and blowing snow. Freezing levels were around 6000' in the afternoon, but the snow/rain line was closer to 4200' on my drive down. Interestingly, precipitation turned back into snow around 3300'.
Snowpack
At 5200' there was 20 cm (8 inches) of moist new snow. By 6400' there was 30 cm (12 inches) of new snow becoming moist, and at 7300' there was 21 inches (53 cm) of dry new snow. New snow was dense regardless of moisture content, and ski penetration was only about 10 cm (4 inches). I did a quick extended column test at 7300' on a SE aspect, and got a propagating result on hard taps at the new/old snow interface (ECTP25 down 53).