Quick report
- Red Flags
- Recent Avalanches, Wind Loading
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Recent large avalanches in the high alpine have my attention. Heavy wind loading and snow from the last storm at the upper elevations makes that the zone with the greatest chance of triggering a slide. Except for ridge line wind drifting, mid and low elevations seem to be stabilizing.</p>
Lots of quick hand pits between 7,400' and about 8,000' showed a cold snow pack, with no wet snow issues. The rain crust was well bonded to snow below, snow above sheared a few inches above the crust. A new snow instability that should strengthen soon. There is the usual surface weakening to keep track of - surface hoar, maybe some radiation recrystallization on a few south east facing slopes. Main issue for low elevations could be a few dry loose sluffs, with wet loose sluffs later this week.
Mid elevation storm snow seems to be settling out and strengthening. A deepening snowpack is a strengthening snowpack - good news.
Photos below:
Settlement cones
Cornices are getting large and hard in places. Stay well back.
Looking over at Gobblers and Wilson. Neither the photo nor my eyes were good enough pick out any avalanches. I'm sure they're there, just covered with snow.
Avalanche danger below is for mid elevations, terrain I traveled in. Low elevations seem to be heading toward low danger. Upper elevations Considerable plus danger.
Snowpack
Still deep powder, and trail breakers deserve thanks. Just a bit of thin, cracky wind slab up high on the ridge, and the sun did manage to crust some southeast and southerlies. But widespread, untracked powder.