Snowpack

Paulina peak

Carson ByrneNewberry
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Quick report

Cracking
isolated

Observed cracking in the wind slab on a small convex test slope below treeline and I was able to kick off a 40cm hard wind slab at this location.

Weather

Air Temp
20F to 34F
Cloud Cover
overcast
Wind Loading
moderate
Recent Snowfall
3
Snow Avail For Transport
moderate amounts

Day was overcast and windy with little to no precipitation. Winds were consistently moderate out of the SW with some strong gusts and were blowing around quite a bit of snow.

Snowpack

 The 70cm of new snow from Monday is settling and binding with this past weekends snow. On sheltered NW aspects I found a cohesive & upright snowpack pack. However there is widespread evidence of the moderate SW winds impacting the snow. I observed wind slabs 10-40 cm thick below and  at treeline. These wind slabs are likely larger and more reactive at upper elevations. In the Paulina area one needs to be especially careful of wind slabs below treeline as they  can build to be large around open lava flow zones.