Quick report
- Aspect
- West
- Red Flags
- Wind Loading, Cracking, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Elevation
- 3018 m
- Slope Angle
- 20°
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Found some sensitive wind drifts that were cracking, isolated though to ridges at upper elevation. Loose snow was sloughing on the steepest slopes.</p>
Dug down a couple feet at 9900 ft in upper LCC to see what if anything was going on, below the new snow ~10cm down was a firm crust with some faceted/loose grains below. It was fairly sensitive. ECTP 12 right below the crust. Above crust was very low density new snow.
On east facing slope just on other side of ridge crust was not nearly as prevalent nor as sensitive. Pockets of wind loading and wind slab were more concerning on this aspect.
Cracking on top of ridge lines today
Potential weak layer below crust, buried 10 to 15 cms down. Could become active wit more snow. ECTP 12, west facing aspect at 9900 ft.
Snow in weak layer from above photo buried 10 to 15 cms right beneath thin crust (less than 5 cms)
Final photo is pit dug at 9900 ft but on east facing aspect, not nearly as prominent of a crust with weak layer below. Looks like it uploaded upside down....
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>Some loading into pillow like shapes with some strength and cracking, still shallow though but could change with increased snowfall and wind.</p> <p>Really low density top layer that could run down steeper slopes longer than expected</p>
Some firm layers below the new snow on west aspects, softer on the north and east side of the compass