Quick report
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>No red flags where I traveled today in the Mill Creek Drainage. There were some very isolated soft wind slabs up to a foot deep, but these were not widespread. </p>
Just a small bump in the winds and enough loose faceted snow along with some cold low density snow combined to make a few very isolated wind slabs right along the ridge lines. These soft slabs would break up to a foot deep, but did not have a lot of energy to them.
The conditions overall on the east side of the range look pretty good with a nice supportable base and things are plastered with a nice coat of white paint.
A couple buried rime crusts around a foot deep from the surface might be something to track over time as more snow stacks on top. I did see some small grained faceted snow above the second crust which can be common with some buried crusts.
Steep, thin, rocky and upper elevation terrain as well as slopes that have avalanched this season will have a weak snow pack and would be places to still avoid.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>Not widespread, but I did manage to find some soft wind slabs up to a foot deep and isolated to the ridge lines. With cold light density snow this week and loose faceted snow this morning, just a small bump in the wind speeds can transport this snow into fresh wind slabs.</p> <p>Generally a nice fairly deep snow pack even for this side of the range, but down near the ground I was finding some of the weakest and large faceted snow I've seen in awhile. Not a problem where things are deep, but in steep rocky terrain and places that have avalanched earlier this season, I would not fully trust the snow pack. </p>
Loose faceted snow on the surface this morning from a cold clear night, still lots of trees with rime on them, but great overall snow conditions.