Quick report
- Red Flags
- Wind Loading, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Minor wind loading today along the ridge lines and only isolated cracking of shallow wind drifts. A deeper snow pack in this area, no cracking or propagation of cracks with stability tests, although still some layers with faceted sugary snow above and below.</p>
Just a few new inches can go a long way to improve the riding conditions and smooth out old tracks.
This morning there was layer of surface hoar from clear skies overnight and really made for some nice sparkling snow. The winds today should destroy most of this layer.
I was finding the rime crust from last weekend still fairly widespread in the Whitney Basin and might be something to keep an eye as it gets buried. Right now it is just under the most recent snow from a few days back.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>Still choosing lowered angled terrain based on the faceted layered snow pack, although snow pit tests are trending toward better stability?</p> <p>Winds were light to moderate and steady and getting into lower terrain throughout the day. Only minor cracking of fresh wind drifts along higher ridge lines. </p>
Just a few new inches of snow can improve the riding conditions and I was finding nice shallow powder with a layer of surface hoar from the clear skies overnight. Overall, the riding and turning today was fairly decent.