Quick report
- Red Flags
- Wind Loading, Poor Snowpack Structure
Overall very strong 1-meter slab on top of October facets where we were digging at the top of Main Days. Am thinking this strong slab is bridging the weak layers down near the ground, and it would be difficult to trigger a slide on these weak layers.
The zones that concern me are in thinner snowpack areas such as steep, rocky terrain where it would be possible to find a thinner, weak spot where the fracture would propagate.
Photo and corresponding profile of pit at 10,500' on NE aspect at 10,500' in Main Days. The layer between 10 and 90 cms quickly gains strength from a 4F to dense, 1F slab.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>Looking at east/southeast aspects ascending Chicken S&*t Ridge and in Days Draw and HS was shallower than I expected: 60-90 cms at most. On some quick pits I could find facets at the ground, but these had to be more east than southeast. Overall not an especially poorly-structured snowpack on these aspects below 10,000'.</p> <p>Digging at 10,500 just below the top of Main Days was finding 120 cm snowpack, with 10 cms of basal facets at the ground. Some evidence of October crust, but it seems to have deteriorated in this area. </p> <p>The wind slabs that formed overnight Friday were pencil-hard and 10-15 cms thick, but they were not responsive to ski cuts or any stability tests. Am thinking they will continue to settle out.</p>
Widespread wind-affected snow surface from the increased winds later Friday evening. Crusts on southerly aspects, with even a few rollerballs on low elevation steeper slopes. Snow surface very supportable, with shallow 10 cm ski penetration.
HS below 10,000' ranges from 60-90 cms. From 10,000 - 10,500 depths are 120 cms.
Photo below is from top of Main Days looking over into Cardiac Ridge. These easterly aspects were especially skied hard on Friday, with several tracks. But westerly winds increased later Friday, and by this morning wind drifts and pillows had covered up all the tracks from the previous day.