Wind scoured

jimn , Thursday 16th January, 2025 11:15PM

Howling alpine wind fairly constant Jan 12 pm through Jan 16. Most alpine aspects and really anywhere open enough for wind to flow was more wind scoured than wind loaded. Occasional small wind slabs and isolated drifts. Varying snow depths: probing 50cm before tree band. 150cm in trees. 200cm beyond trees and 280cm beyond that in drift. Snow undisturbed by wind was 150cm. Temps were warm but stayed below freezing. Mostly sun on Monday but mostly overcast otherwise. Storming (snow and wind) on Thursday. Snow quality varied quite a bit in the area. Mostly there were no signs of instability with a very solid right side up base, no layers, with either wind scoured snow on top or preserved high quality powder. Solar aspects were sun crusted. However in one basin the snow was between 50-70cm deep, faceted and unconsolidated top to bottom (elevation 2000 - 2150m) Jan 16 observed 1cm per hour snow fall in the am with high winds. An avalanche approx. 1.5, natural in slide path, S facing. Presumably due to sun day prior. (see image) Challenging, but not impossible, to find quality snow unaffected by wind or sun. When we found it the skiing was excellent.