Quick report
- Red Flags
- Recent Avalanches, Wind Loading, Cracking, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Not much natural avalanche activity observed. See photo of the one significant avalanche seen on the South face of the Highway to Heaven. This slide appeared to initiate as a Wet Loose Snow Avalanche from loose snow starting around the steep cliffs. Then as this debris entrained more snow the toe of this slide appeared to initiate a Wet Slab Avalanche. The slide was approximately 80 feet wide and ran 225 vertical. There was widespread evidence of windloading that was cracking in the early morning hours well before the sun was affecting the snow. This cracking was observed in 4 finger wind slabs on the SE facing, 35 degree terrain off of the shoulder of Peak 10321. Small cornice breaks were also observed and these initiated small, insignificant Soft Slabs. Of note, the lower ramp of the Y-Chute (Grannys) in the Wolverine Cirque had 8 to 10 inch sections of knife hard wind slabs with up to 5 inches of 4 finger underlying this wind slab. In this location, there was also another 3 inches of pencil hard wind slab directly under the 4 finger layer. This sandwich appeared to be suspect. Finally, in some areas in the northerly facing, upper alpine terrain (where there was just a thin layer of snow remaining on the mostly wind scoured slopes) there were areas with near surface facets on the snow surface. The extreme cold temperatures have appeared to help develope this potential weak layer on these northerly facing slopes, and they can be found in the steep upper starting zones. </p>
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>The sensitive wind slabs from the morning appeared to settle out significantly as the day burned on. Yet, it appeared that there were potentially still lingering isolated pockets at the end of the day. These pockets can be found on assorted aspects in the upper alpine due to the previously sited variable winds and cross loading. </p> <p>The previously sited avalanche indicated this hazard on Sunday. With the new snow expected and with any sustained breaks with sunshine on Monday, more wet activity may be possible. </p>
Yep, it's all out there. Variable conditions would be the best term to describe things in a general sense. New snow from this latest event totaled up to 6 inches in the upper reaches of BCC. Riding late on Saturday afternoon before sunset confirmed that figure. Yet after the evening of intense winds it was hard to identify those totals in most locations on Sunday. The best riding/powder was found on protected slopes with aspects on the upper third of the compass at elevations. above 9200 feet. Good, creamy, dense, typical Spring, and wind affected powder was found on East, South, and North aspects above 8700 feet and up to about 10250. Above that altitude there was widespread wind affected and damaged snow on almost all aspects, with the East appearing to be the least affected. The cold temperatures and sustained Light winds played a part in keeping the E, S, and W aspects from getting damp much later than typical for this time of year, though they did change as the day went on. Fortunately the frigid morning temperatures appeared to spare the NE aspects from becoming damp at elevations above 9200 feet. Wind scoured slopes in the upper alpine had a mixture of sastrugi and glazed m/f crusts.