Quick report
I snowmoblied to Tamarack Lake and dug a pit along the way. The biggest hazards were terrain traps, exposed rock, hidden sharks and liquid water. It was easy to find good snow for riding, anything with a northerly aspect. It was equally as easy to find areas to AVOID; gullies, creeks, ridges and rock features . I saw mutliple places people have tried to cross creeks with little success, and one track that punched into a pond. Based on the snowmobile tracks, people have been pushing the limits of the conditions and probing to find untouched areas. I observed some broken A-arms in the parking lot. We are still in a defensive positon at this point. It is filled in enough to be usable and tempting, but still shallow. The snow conditions are great in the trees and catches. The ridges and alpine appear to be wind scoured or compacted. Creek crossings, unfrozen ponds and committing gullies are preventing riders from getting to the normal stashes. Terrain access is limited due to low snow. The best riding is above 8,000ft.
No signs of instability observed. No signs of wind slabs with the recent wind event.Weather
- Air Temp
- 37+
- Cloud Cover
- broken
- Wind Loading
- none
- Recent Snowfall
- 0
- Snow Avail For Transport
- small smounts
The winds were calm, increasing to light from the SW by the afteroon. There were high altitude clouds that increased through the mid-day, dissipating by sun down. The clouds appeared to trap heat under them. The afternoon breeze blew the clouds and associated heat away. Temperatures dropped quickly by 4pm. There was valley fog forming over the creeks by the time I was exiting.
Snowpack
The snowpack appeared stable and "right-side up". Conditons were cold and soft on shaded northerly aspects. There was a minor crust/ punchy surface on anything exposed to the sun or wind; not enough to have a negative influence for a snowmobile. I dug a pit in a wind sheltered area on a north slope. The pit results indicated snow stabilty. The new snow is bonding well and the base is saturated with rain water. Cold temps have kept the surface in good shape and supportable for riding. Shallow snow depths, open creeks and hidden terrain features are current concern. I measured the snow depth at 55 cm (<2 ft) near the parking lot at 7,100ft. The height of snow increased to 100-150cm (3-5ft) at 8,000ft. The wind blew the snow off some ridges and exposed dirt. Leeward slopes are filled in. I observed enormous surface hoar, some of the biggest I have ever seen (1.5cm).