Quick report
SW->E-NE facing slopes that are near and above treeline are likely to be heavily wind loaded with the potiental to release an avalanche large enough to bury. While it may be hard to trigger an avalanche it can to step down to weak layers lower in the snowpack creating an even larger avalanche. Be aware of cornices and wind loaded slopes greater than 30°. Stay sage out there.
Weather
- Air Temp
- 0
- Cloud Cover
- clear
- Wind Loading
- intense
- Recent Snowfall
- O
- Snow Avail For Transport
- small smounts
Beautiful clear and cold night in the snowies
Snowpack
We dug our pit on a SW facing slope at 10,560' in a heavily wind loaded area. The snowpack/pit depth was 120-130cm deep. A very thick (78cm) wind slab was sitting on the Christmas crust (xmas crust) with sugary facets from 80cm deep to ground level. Our results were ECTP21@78cm failing underneath the xmas crust. Our PST120/120arr had no significant results on the sugar below xmas crust. We performed another ECTN because we were not convinced with our first results. Upon shear test the entire colum failed at ground level. I believe the xmas crust is acting as a bridge protecting the weak snow below it making a wind slab hard to trigger, but possible and with the potential to be very large.