Quick report
- Cracking
- specific
- Collapsing
- specific
We experienced collapsing and shooting cracks up to 3m in length. These involved stiff, recently deposited wind slabs
Weather
Light snow started in the late morning hours and continued through our exit from the field around 1630. Snowfall rate never exceeded S-1, and total daytime accumulation was in the 2-3cm range. Steady upper end of light winds blowing out of the SE throughout the tour.
Snowpack
N-facing slope at 8,000': HS=55-65, 11/30 down 40-45cm. Slab over 11/30 still has a prominent 12/6 crust in the middle. Slab grades from F-- at the surface, to a 10-12cm interval of 1F at the base. 11/30 facets underneath the slab were F- in a 6-9cm thick band, slightly harder/denser below this interval. Snowpack tests produced ECTN x 2 (18 and 23, both down 40-45cm) and CPST 29 and 40/100 both to END down 40-45cm. My saw got hung up on some brush during the 40/100 test, I think the 29/100 is more representative of conditions more broadly.
Today's weather had not significantly changed the hazard in the terrain we were in by the time we exited the field. I would imagine that in larger, more wind-affected terrain with large fetches for gathering snow, wind slabs would be worth considering while traveling through the mountains.
Avalanche
We did not observe any large, recent avalanches. We did observe several small, 5-10 cm thick (max) that likely released during a spike in winds following light snowfall on 1/3-1/5