Quick report
Overall good stability in the new snow in wind-sheltered terrain.
Weather
- Air Temp
- 20
- Cloud Cover
- few
- Wind Loading
- moderate
- Recent Snowfall
- 34
- Snow Avail For Transport
- large amounts
Few clouds in the AM, becoming overcast in the PM. Light snow began at 1:30p with a trace of accumulation by 4p. Westerly winds were moderate to strong in the AM with large plumes of snow blowing off of ridges >6,000ft. Winds became light to calm after 11a. At 5,550ft: HN24 34cm, HST (since 2/24) 79cm
Snowpack
Lots of recent storm snow overlying a range of crusts (2/14, 2/24) and dry snow, depending on elevation. At 3,280ft- HST 30-39cm w drifting in open terrain. ↓39cm 2/24 crust, moist, unfrozen. Moist snow down at least 50cm from surface. Near Lanham Lake, 4,150ft- HST 40cm rests on moist 2/24 crust. EFC ↓55-65cm. On a ridge at 5,500ft, wind features were reactive and easy to trigger. Otherwise, we didn't get to assess wind slab hazard.
Profile 5,547ft, NE.
HS 280cm, HST 79cm, HN24 34cm. Boot Pen 95cm.
Notable layers: 79cm of progressively harder, right-side-up storm snow was relatively stable and well-bonded. ↓83cm- only melt-forms in the upper snowpack (2/14?) were barely perceptible as a light crust. CTM(SC) ↓103cm on 1.0mm rounding facets. Early February crust ↓104cm, thin ice lens overlying weaker faceting crust. ECTX, though I was able to get propagation well beyond the test on facets above the EFC. See profile graph.
Avalanche
No avalanches observered