Quick report
- Red Flags
- Recent Avalanches, Wind Loading, Cracking
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Recent avalanches all over the place, photos below. This includes much of the Wilson Chutes, norths in Upper Butler Basin and the Sweedish corner and south facing areas of the se bowl Gobblers.</p> <p>Winds were loading the upper south aspects off and on today, some exposed norths in Wilson were scoured. Cracking in drifts near the summit of Wilson Peak, photos below.</p> <p>We stayed on mostly south aspects and did not observe the deep facets (intentionally!)</p>
Note we avoided travel on north aspects but I am treating the persistent weakness as moderate to considerable danger with very high consequence. Todays forecast was spot-on!
We felt like we could have safely skied one of the Wilson chutes which had slid but could not have safely skinned back up the north aspects to return to BCC.
Photos below: Cracking on BCC/Millcreek ridge near Wilson Peak:
Photos below, Slides in the SE bowl of Gobblers including large debris piles, many aspects:
We avoided all start zones today. Attempted to work our way up the souths below Gobblers but ran out of areas that had slid. We were not willing to continue into areas without obvious slide activity.
Still spooky out there, playing it safe.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>Wind slabs on upper south facing aspects.</p> <p>Considerable hazard. Moderate below the ridge tops.</p> <p><strong>FORECASTER COMMENTS: Another very long time savvy backcountry skier going through his decision making - thanks Todd</strong></p> <p>Persistent slab on top of what I believe is a buried surface hoar layer as evidenced in the ECTP Described above.</p> <p>Moderate hazard</p>
About 4" from the last impulse, light.
The rime crust in areas of the se bowl of Gobblers that have not slid is approximately 28" down. Hard to detect took a delicate touch.
ECTP 10 @14" Q2, at 9400' on south facing Wilson Peak, enough to keep us out of the start zone on the south shot. This is similar to what I saw in shortswing a couple of days ago.