Quick Poke into the Alpine

Quick venture into the alpine (see snowpack tab). Deep, steep and amazing in the trees below the alpine.

Cold morning at porcupine cabin, around -23, but in the alpine found increased temps up to a balmy -11 & a strong sun which made -11 feel more like -2. Surprisingly no wind in the alpine (around 1300hrs). On the exit to the road from the cabin, the new snow on the logging roads was much more wind affected. Interesting to see stronger winds in the valley bottom compared to the alpine.

Quick poke into the alpine above Porcupine Cabin. Observed shooting cracks and sudden planar failures on unsupported "windlip" features, recent storm snow on a layer of well preserved surface hoar. Surface hoar was forming in the cold temps on the new storm snow, which was surprisingly not wind affected. The rain crust was buried ~1m and still thick (have to give the probe a good push to get through it!). Fairly recent loose dry avalanche debris seen from steep terrain, ~ 24hrs to 48hrs old.