Quick report
- Red Flags
- Wind Loading, Cracking, Collapsing, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>On northeast facing between about 8,700' and 9,200'. Multiple collapses today. Some small, some widespread, including one that was heard and felt by three people who were 200 feet apart on the skin track. Cracking and collapsing on the skin track on the seventh or the tenth or the twelfth pass. A no-consequence reminder that multiple tracks on a face doesn't mean it won't slide when you get on it. So many traps out there. </p>
Photo shows small collapse and cracking caused by seventh pass on the skin track.
Snowpack
The Monday turns were not as much fun as Sunday's turns. Some debate in our crew as to whether the top layer was a stout wind crust or was perhaps evidence of brief sun exposure on Sunday morning before the clouds rolled in at 11:30 A.M. Heavy turns in lower and more open northeast-facing terrain. Total depth at 8,860' NE-facing of 140cm. Same spot on Jan 12 had 115cm.