Quick report
- Cracking
- isolated
We did not observe any avalanches or experience any whumphing or collapsing. We attempted to peer into the bowl but light was flat and visibility was very poor (ping pong ball). Skiing back down through the trees was really nice, especially in the open glades. Traversing around the west side (between 7500-7600') we saw small wind slabs breaking easily under our skis on drifts. Winds seemed to be coming from the SW, but they were shifting around and blowing snow onto W and NW aspects in the early afternoon.
Weather
- Air Temp
- 25F at 7600' around 10:30 AM
- Cloud Cover
- overcast
- Wind Loading
- light
- Snow Avail For Transport
- small smounts
Snowpack
We dug a pit on a NW aspect on Tumalo around 7600'. We dug to the ground. There was some variability in snow depth, but the spot where we dug was 105 cm. Winds were calm in this spot during late morning when we got started, but it was getting more blustery by early afternoon when we exited. Snow was light/moderate when we started and finished, but we got a little break from the storm midday. In our pit, we found several crusts with weak snow around them. We did a bunch of column tests for practice and got results on a layer of weak snow about 70 cm below the snow surface, underneath a crust. First, we did two compression tests and got a sudden planar result followed by resistant planar (CT22SP down 70, CT23RP down 70). We then did two extended column tests and got propagation on the same layer (ECTP#30 down 70, ECTP#27 down 70). We then did two propagation saw tests and did not get a result. Finally, we did a deep tap test on the same layer and did not get a result. Like I said, we were keen for some practice. :) Looking at this layer under a loupe, we saw small rounding facets at this layer.