Quick report
- Red Flags
- Poor Snowpack Structure
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>The Poor Snowpack Structure that is Widespread and extremely Variable continues to become bigger in Distribution and Size, yet in many areas that have an HS of at least 50, the riding is still supportable and fun. </p> <p>Of Note: Snow Pit at 9700 feet, HS: 70 cm, North Aspect, 30 degrees yielded these results, Top Down: Surface Hoar 2 to 3 mm in size (and this SH issue is becoming Widespread on the Upper Half of the compass above at least 8000 feet), 15 cm of Fist (all showing signs of Faceting), Aforementioned Ambient Crust (2 mm and friable and decomposing), 20 cm of 4 Finger, Thin Layer of Facets (1 mm), 32 cm of 1 Finger, and 2 cm of Basal Facets that were showing signs of Rounding. CTH RP at 35 cm down in Thin Facet Layer. </p> <p>Finally Of Note: The top 15 cm was so uncohesive that when trying to isolate for a Shovel Tilt Test the column just split vertically and crumbled. </p> <p>In Areas with around HS of 35 cm, the entire snowpack is "Sandboxing". </p> <p>Obviously all of these types of "Poor Snowpack Structure" are not a concern at this point in time without having a load/slab on top of them. </p>
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>See above for Persistent Weak Layer issues. Though not a concern at this point in time, these extremely Variable Conditions will come into play at some point in the future; and we may have complicated Avalanche conditions to deal with when we get a significant load. </p> <p> </p> <p>Danger appeared to be Low today with the primary concern dealing with early season shallow snowpack issues. </p>
Conditions continue to deteriorate on the bottom half of the compass with M/F Crusts developing and becoming thicker. The opposite is true on the Upper Half of the compass. WNW, N and through ENE all have areas of good cold snow/soft riding. Some areas were damaged by the latest rounds of Wind Damage, but these areas of Wind Board appear to be not only decomposing, but the new snow from the past week has made them much more friendly. In the more protected terrain there is good bottom-less riding. The mid-November "Ambient/Thermal" Crust can still be found at least up to 9800 feet, and even on Shady Aspects.