Quick report
- Aspect
- North
- Red Flags
- Recent Avalanches, Heavy Snowfall, Wind Loading, Cracking, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Elevation
- 2957 m
- Slope Angle
- 18°
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Cracking was localized to ski tips stepping off the skin track. We observed two small soft slab avalanches on SE aspects b/t 9800' and 9600', one natural and one intentionally skier triggered. Both appeared to be new snow running on the old MF surface. SS-N-R1/D1-O, SS-AS-R1/D1-O</p>
This seems to be an unusually complex Wasatch snowpack for March, now with the addition of near surface facets to the list of factors complicating (or just narrowing) terrain choices, including repeater slopes, Feb 1 facets, and November facets. At least more snow is in the forecast to keep the low angle skiing fresh and fun.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>We found a thin layer of near surface facets under a decomposing melt freeze crust on upper elevation N and had full propagation on two ECTs in two pits, as well as multiple easy CT failures with sudden fracture quality. This avalanche problem was not my primary concern this morning, but it is now, and will affect our decisions in north facing terrain these next few days with more snow in the forecast. The trend will remain the same overnight but I expect it to increase with the arrival of our next system tomorrow afternoon/ evening.</p> <p>We had easy failure within the new snow with the top 20 cm of graupel failing on top of the 20 cm of stellars (see pics) but this had little cohesion (BKN, Q3) and should settle out quickly.</p> <p>We noted active transport of snow by the W-NW winds today.</p>
The snow felt mildly upside down from the higher density snow falling later in the storm, but still skied well where it was smooth underneath. We could still easily feel the melt freeze crust underneath the new snow on solars.