Quick report
- Red Flags
- Wind Loading
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Only real red flag was on-going wind drifting. The snow was beeing tranported by the stronger winds, building dune-like drifts. The snow is scoured off exposed south facing fetch areas and deposited in stiff, sometimes broad drifts where the winds are slowed due to terrain. We avoided drifted slopes and steep areas on the lee (northeast facing) side of the ridge, and did trigger any cracking or collapsing while traveling in lower angled north east and west facing terrain. Areas with poor snow structure appeared limmited to shady areas with generally shallow snow cover. </p>
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>We didn't really test any obvious drifts, and did not see any sign of natural activity. But, we noted significant surface drifting. I am concerned about drifted slopes where weak near surface facets formed during cold high pressure conditions in early February and only a couple inches accumulated incrementally since. Wind slabs developing on potentially persistent weak layers may remain sensitive to human triggering for a while, and hard slabs often allow you to get well out on them before releasing.. Because of these factors; stiffening and building on potential weak layers, the wind slabs are getting more unmanageable and dangerous.</p>
We found nice fast shallow powder (re-crystallized) on north, northwest and northeast facing slopes.