Bonneville & Snow Peaks, Pebble Creek

Touring from the Pebble Creek Boundary towards Bonneville Peak, I noted widespread surface hoar and hear-surface faceting other than on due south aspects. The shape of the terrain here likely dictates the size and spatial spread of avalanche problems you may encounter. Steep slopes and gullies are punctuated by flat terrain or peppered with dense trees, especially the meadowed glades directly off Bonneville Peak and the side-country to the north. These meadows likely harbor frequent surface hoar problems; even a smaller avalanche could strain a rider into trees. Superbowl holds more consistent, steep avalanche terrain capable of producing a larger avalanche, likely during a larger storm cycle. The mirror feature on Snow Peak (NW-facing) also likely harbors weaker facted snow, but an overall deeper snowpack depth.

I found an average snowpack depth of over 120cm (4 feet), which was surprising. Certain areas around rock outcrops and sunny slopes remain shallow but were infrequent. Solar aspects on average held slightly less snow (~100cm, 3 feet) and a fully consolidated snowpack with a few harder crusts but nothing concerning other than at the surface. With a large storm, new snow likely does not bond well on these aspects. 

One older small wind slab avalanche was noted near the ridge of Snow Peak ~9,100 feet on a NW aspect. If the surface hoar remains preserved, sensitive avalanche conditions may follow the next storm cycle. Even if the surface hoar is dispersed by blowing wind, enough near-surface faceting at the top portion of the snowpack has occurred to create a problem in steep terrain as soon as snow falls at the new/old interface. The avalanche terrain here is not easily readable or obvious other than the larger bowls; it would be easy to find oneself in steeper terrain than anticipated due to the rolling, treed gullies in this terrain. 

 

Recent avalanche activity involving a small wind slab pocket of newer snow was observed around 9,100' on a NE aspect.