Quick report
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Mostly stable snow. </p>
Wet avalanche danger ratings sometimes difficult - but for tomorrow - clear skies, temps in the 40s or more - should be plenty of wet size 2 debris piles below the steepest, sustained southerly slidepaths in the afternoon
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>Something of a wet avalanche cycle perhaps upon us with 700mb temps rising toward +5C or so by Tuesday afternoon. Obviously the east, south, and west aspects will run, but the key is to not overlook the low elevation northerlies that harbor 2-3" that'll become active with daytime warming over the next few days. Plenty of steep gullies/terrain traps - even into Mill Creek - that could trip up the unwary skier/snowshoer on their way out. </p> <p>Enough wind today that there'll be some shallow drifts along the more exposed aspects/elevations (predominantly south>east) that'll be sensitive to triggering in the morning. Those headed to the Cottonwood ridgeline slide paths in the morning may find a few of these along the south and east facing starting zones. Weaknesses noted at the new/old snow interface - perhaps some phase change facets that may still be sensitive in the morning - </p>
Northerly aspects still hold good powder; "off aspects" a few inches above breakable crust, southerly aspects mostly supportable, particularly on mellower slope angles and wider boards. Lower elevation northerlies have 2-3" above a breakable crust with damp grains beneath.
New 2-3" snow not bonded well to m/f crusts; perhaps some small squares from the phase change a couple days ago. Cracking adjacent to skin track, tilt tests confirm this; mostly academic in nature.
Mill Creek still has enough snow to ski to the gate; south Reynolds still enough snow to access the peak from BCC road/Reynold's Flat.