Quick report
- Red Flags
- Wind Loading, Cracking, Collapsing, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Once again another big day of collapsing and cracking. Great propogation in the collapses. The colapasses today were on steeper terain than yesterday 20-25 degrees.</p>
Photo 1: Todays ECT results were similar to yesterday. ECTP16 and 22. 20 cm up from the ground. The test was done on an east aspect today and the basel facets on the ground were still wet. Dry facets started at about 12 cm up from ground. Failure was on dry facets at 20 cm up from ground.
Photo 2: Not great viz Today but great skiing in low angle terrain.
Photo 3: All the Glory of the Low angle Loving!!
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>Without wind there is really no propagation propensity in the new snow. I think we need to have some wind or find wind loaded areas to have a slab over the weak layer. Increasing with overnight predicted winds</p> <p>Once again, not great visibility in upper elevation but no natural avalanches noted yet. Still lots of collapsing and good results on ECT. The treat is there. While skiing a 25 degree slope today I had a large collapse which made me look back. This was a great reminder that the problem is lurking out there ready to strike at the right trigger. </p>
The new snow is as light as it gets. The snow from Sunday Dec 13 storm is starting to settle creating a little more realiable base to ski on but also a little more cohesive slab.