Quick report
- Aspect
- North
- Red Flags
- Heavy Snowfall, Wind Loading, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Elevation
- 2652 m
- Slope Angle
- 27°
I got up today but since it was a blizzard out there, I opted for some low altitude north facing treed terrain below 28 degrees. Just 6 inches of new snow on my skin track from yesterday. 2 inches of new snow on my sled while I dug a pit and skied 6 short laps, 2 hours total time. Although I often ski this area when there is too much snow to get up high or the wind is ripping, I rarely measure snow depth at this low altitude, 8700ft. Since it had rained so hard numerous times earlier this year at this altitude, I was surprised to see a meter and a half of snow. I tested the snowpack twice and both times I was able to get a propagating fracture that collapsed and in my second test fell in the pit. ECTP 13 SC Q2 and ECTP 16 SP Q2 1 meter below the surface. These failures occurred just above the facets that formed during our long dry spell in terrain I had previously collapsed on the 24th.