Quick report
We got another early start and rode Flagpole Peak today to sample the corn and check out some large previous wet loose slides visible from Meyers. Snow was firm down low while approaching a little after 7am but softened a bit as we gained elevation and wrapped towards a more NE aspect that also had more trees and thus more shade. The snow here was more transitional and had yet to go through as many melt freeze cycles as the more open and more due east terrain. As we gained more elevation, we traveled near a large previous wet, loose slide that had started from near the summit and ran into the trees and across the old skin track. We estimate this ran on 4/8. Close to the summit proper, more snow was still in early stages of developing into corn and had more winter characteristics. We descended in an open area with smooth snow between a couple previous wet loose slides. The snow in the upper ~400' wasn't quite corn but on lower elevations the snow was quality primo corn.
Weather
- Cloud Cover
- clear
Calm, clear and warming quickly
Avalanche
- Size
- D2 R1
- Type
- WL
- Aspect
- E
- Elevation
- 8100 ft
We observed 4 distinct large previous wet loose slides on Flagpole Peak today. We estimate they ran on 4/8. The photos here are from one that ran from close to the summit down into the trees and across the existing skin track. It was interesting that the slide stopped where it did, as the slope was still relatively steep but significantly less steep than the start zone. The start zone is steep with some exposed rocks and there was plenty of evidence of previous skier traffic, so it's tough to determine what was the trigger.