Quick report
- Red Flags
- Poor Snowpack Structure
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>The Marker pin on the map shows the fully melted level for Squaw Peak Road on Sunday</p> <p>4/16/23. Above that there is a mix of snow and bare pavement up to Squaw Peak</p> <p>Overlook.</p> <p> </p> <p>As I crossed Cactus Ridge this morning I noticed that the upper levels of Cascade Peak had</p> <p>a lot of refreeze ice-sheen. I noticed the same South on the Mount Nebo summits.</p> <p> </p> <p>Most of the West side of Cascade had some sort of effect to the surface of the snow. Only</p> <p>one of the bowls hasn't had a substantial slide starting high. Saturday might have warmed</p> <p>enough to have a lot of rollers and other superficial activity. Even to the 10,000' + range.</p> <p> </p> <p>The major Crown Fractures broke and slid on a very hard slab. There is still a lot of more</p> <p>recent snow that could break at that junction. I'll be watching for signs that the basal slab</p> <p>is warming enough to move, melt, or pinwheel.</p> <p>I hiked up to Squaw Peak Overlook on Sunday partly to try to get a look at last weeks</p> <p>debris piles at the base of Cascade Mountain. I climbed to the 7000' summit just south of the</p> <p>Overlook. There was at least ten debris piles. The slide that happened late last Sunday is by</p> <p>far the largest. The South debris pile is large enough to have crossed the road. I was still too low</p> <p>to spot the road in that area. One of the Northern ones is fairly large. The debris on the</p> <p>North one while smaller caught my attention because of a round circle on sloping grass nearby. </p> <p>With the binocs I could just make out that the up slope appeared to have dropped, while the</p> <p>lower edge of the circle rose. I assume it was a mud sluff, but round? Or a UFO landing site,</p> <p>(shrug?) and me without my Triquarter..</p> <p> </p> <p>Even though most of this area is no-mans-land, it was all impressive. I haven't found a</p> <p>good view for all of the debris. May try Buffalo peak if I can get past the mess below</p> <p>the Crows Foot.</p> <p> </p> <p>The trail was mostly dry from Indian Road Trailhead. Coming up the ridge was mostly</p> <p>firm in the morning, some punchy dropping out. Fading fast but I still crossed some areas with</p> <p>a couple of feet of pack. below 7000'.</p> <p> </p> <p>I did see some Glacier Lillies that had sprouted.</p> <p> </p> <p>Middle of April & last Friday I crossed areas with 12' of snow just above 7000'. Get it while you can,</p> <p>avoid it when ya must. In the meantime, Pray For Slow...</p>