Quick report
- Cracking
- specific
After moderate to strong SW winds yesterday and overnight, we felt like slopes > 30 degrees that were wind loaded or had significant new snow would be suspect. We were also looking for surface hoar buried on Valentines and another layer buried 2/26, predominately on North Aspects near tree line. In two locations we did find buried surface hoar and in one spot it was reactive in stability tests. Our group chose to look for a different aspect to ski and ride, with slopes closer to 30 degrees. These SW aspects we felt would be less likely to have either buried surface hoar layer.
Weather
- Air Temp
- 22
- Cloud Cover
- scattered
- Wind Loading
- light
- Recent Snowfall
- 30
- Snow Avail For Transport
- moderate amounts
Snowpack
Layers of concern near tree line were storm slabs. New snow measuring about 1’ was found reactive in snowpack tests. We had numerous propagating results in our extended column tests. Below new snow we also found two layers of buried surface hoar, but not as reactive in our tests.
Avalanche
I intentionally triggered 2 avalanches on steep North Facing slopes around 7,300-7,600’. Both were size 1-1.5. No one was caught. These were storm slabs that failed 1’ down on average. They ran into thick trees.