Quick report
- Red Flags
- Recent Avalanches, Wind Loading, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Old news, but it was a good day for avalanche viewing. I went up to take a closer look at the recent slides on Tukno and in Talking Mt Cirque. Wind speeds on the ridges were on the upper end of Moderate, approaching Strong at times, and I observed plenty of blowing and drifting snow. Northerly aspects were being actively loaded today further stressing our PWL problem child. A pit on a West aspect below treeline shows stubborn pit results (ECTX), but poor structure remains. </p>
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>I can let the recent avalanches do most of the talking here. Our PWL is obviously still very sensitive. Northerly aspects NTL and ATL were actively loading today and snow will continue to blow and drift tonight. Additional loading from snowfall will start Tuesday night.</p> <p> </p> <p>I checked out the snow on a West facing slope BTL at 10,300 Ft. There is a thick, dense slab above the weak layer making it hard to affect and I got an ECTX. Also notice the hardness of the facets at 4F+ in the top of the weak layer. These are good signs, but the structure remains poor. There is still a slab on a weak layer with a persistent grain type. The weak layer is only 77 cm below the surface. We know this structure is producing avalanches, as evidenced by the recent natural avalanche breaking down to the PWL on a West face in Talking Mt. Cirque. </p> <p> </p> <p>The danger for triggering soft slabs of wind-drifted snow is increasing on Northerly aspects NTL, and ATL. There is plenty of soft snow available for transport, and the strong Southerly winds look like they will continue to blow ahead of the incoming storm. </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p>
The surface snow is still really nice, even on West faces. It seems only the most Solar aspects were affected by yesterday's strong sun. Exposed slopes are wind affected and have some breakable wind crusts, but many Northerly aspects still offer great skiing.