Quick report
- Red Flags
- Wind Loading, Cracking, Rapid Warming
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>I did not get above 9000' today. Variable winds had loaded the east, north, and particularly the west aspects from 9000' to 8000'. Lots of cracking, 4 to 5" wind slab triggered on many test slopes. </p>
Cornices growing with the wind, this one faces NE at 8950'.
4" wind slab on NE aspect, 8900', was reactive to cuts.
4 to 5" deep wind slab, 8500' W aspect, 35' wide was the largest result, in a half mile of cuts along ridges. Other pockets were 5 to 10 feet wide.
Cracking at 8400', W aspect, cutting near the top of a ridge.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>Serious winds above around 8800'. Some styrofoam drifts noted; hard slab could be an unpredictable possibility above 9000'. Softer wind slab below 8800' was fairly predictable today; if the forecasted 5 to 9" occurs, wind slabs could be bigger tomorrow. </p> <p>This looks like a warm storm, for our elevations. A high rain line, and wetter snow could cause some wet slide issues on the south aspects, and below 7000' on all aspects.</p>
A mixed bag of conditions, wind hammered on the ridges, with decent soft snow in the shaded trees, 8800 to 7000 being the best. Rollerballing became evident at 6900', even on a NE aspect in the trees, 11AM. Getting forced over to a SE exposure on the exit, the snow became heavier, 4" of grabby glop on old crust, but still turnable on lower angle slopes. The tight trees took on a new level of hazard in these conditions, forcing slower speeds. Around 6500' the snow really got sticky, that gluelike wet snow reminiscent of warm spring skiing. Exited at 6350'.