Quick report
- Red Flags
- Wind Loading
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>The west and northwest winds still keeping the temperatures cool and the threat of a few wind slabs in exposed terrain. </p>
This large natural connected avalanche on Murdock Peak possibly happened last weekend with rain, wind and heavy wet snow. Thinking a cornice or shallow wind slab off the ridge line crashed down and triggered the deeper avalanche under the rocks where the snow pack has remained thin all season? A few hundred feet across and 3' deep crown failing on weak faceted sugary snow might be a good guess?
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>A few wind slabs in the more exposed area would crack, but not move all that much. Some hollow sounding wind slabby snow might still have some energy with the possibility of isolated wind slabs breaking. </p> <p>As observed with the large natural avalanche on Murdock Peak, given the right slope with shallow snow and enough weight and a trigger, slides breaking to the ground are still possible. </p>
Couple inches new snow from yesterday's on and off snow showers up around Bald Mt. Pass. Snow conditions are staying suprisingly good with some wind crusts scattered around and dry snow in protected north facing terrain. Great time of the year to move around the high country with mostly stable conditions and supportable riding. Snow at the lower elevations was damp on the return trip to the trail head.