Quick report
- Red Flags
- Recent Avalanches, Heavy Snowfall, Wind Loading
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>On the ascent we observed several small avalanches in the trees that probably occurred during periods of heavy precipitation. There was also a small natural below a cornice at the top. See photos below for examples. As we were setting the skin track there was also minor cracking.</p>
We saw a couple small naturals like this that probably occured during periods of intense precipitation.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>On the ascent, we noticed small wind drifts in the lee of trees that indicated strong NW winds while the snow fell. These pointed to lee slopes where more snow had surely been deposited. On our way out I was able to triggered an avalanche from the ridge in wind deposited snow. See separate avalanche observation.</p>
Strong NW winds redistributed snow that fell overnight. In some places wind had left only a small amount of new snow over old melt-freeze crusts. The strength of these crusts varied a bit. In some places they would crack under your weight but in others they were pretty stout and made for slippery skinning. Where the wind had not affected the snow, lower angle skied better because you wouldn't cut into the crusts.