RFS

Went up RFS to see how warm temperatures at upper elvation are affecting stability, and to check out a large D3 natural avalanche at 3100ft in the mid elevations of RFS that occured at the end of last weeks storm.  The initial failure occured on the 12/1 rain crust but steped down to weak facets at the ground below the crust. This is the layer of concern that exists only in this thin elevation band betweren 2500-3500 ft that is buried about a meter (3 ft) deep.  It would be possible for a person to trigger an avalanche on this layer on similar slopes in this elevation band.

Continued up towards the glacier topping out at around 4500 ft.  A pit dug around 4000 ft N aspect revealed a snowpack that is gaining strength. Warm temperatures from the inversion were difficult to notice, but the upper elevation snowpack seems to be consolidating and facets near the ground are bonding and gaining strength. This pit revelaed a right side up snowpack, but high spatial variability remains and could be very different across the same slope.