Quick report
- Red Flags
- Collapsing, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Experienced a localized collapse on an east aspect of about 8800' in a sheltered area.</p>
Noticed the avalanche below on 12/22 on a southeast-facing slope roughly 8500'. Best guess is natural that occurred during the strong wind event on the solstice.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>The strong wind event created variable snow depths across the terrain. Some slopes are stripped of snow nearly to the ground while others are loaded with a thick (4-feet or more) hard, dense layer of snow with a thin layer of faceted snow buried below. The mid elevations have a more consistent snowpack layering with a relatively thin 1-finger hard slab or softer above the same faceted layer from mid-November. The wind event did not have as drastic of an influence on the mid-elevations slopes but recent avalanche activity is still notable.</p>
Variable surface conditions and railroad skiing conditions.