Quick report
• No avalanche activity observed in the terrain I traveled through. • Visibility of surrounding terrain was very limited by fog and so I could not check out distant slopes. • 2-3” snow depths on the Canyon floor, 4-8” at 5500’ elevation, 12-14” at the weather station at 6400’ (weather station snow depth is accurate). • Snow depths increased quickly above 6500’. On average there was about 2-3’ of snow above 7000’ elevation. • Dug a test pit in the uppermost reaches of Path 1163 at 7200’ elevation, east aspect, 34° slope. Snow depth was 32”. There was a thin layer of facets above a crust near the base. But no propagation in an Extended Column Test. (pit profile below) • Dug a second pit on the other side of the ridge at 7300’ on a west aspect in the I Beam avalanche path. Snow depth here was 35” and I found a layer of buried surface hoar 24” down that was reactive. ECTP 25 in Extended Column Test and a Propagation Saw test on this layer yielded PST 45/100 END down 60 cm. • No other signs of instability observed. No obvious signs of instability.
Weather
- Cloud Cover
- obscured
- Wind Loading
- none
- Recent Snowfall
- 7
- Snow Avail For Transport
- large amounts
• Obscured skies above 6000’ with on/off light snowfall all day. 1-2” accumulation above 6000’. • Winds were remarkably calm with occasional very light puffs from the west. No blowing and drifting snow. • Daytime highs reached the high-20s °F on the Canyon floor and the high teens °F up around 7000’ elevation.