Sperry/Comeau Pass

Quick report

No recent avalanche activity observed. But I couldn't see much once I climbed above the chalet due to very thick fog. I crossed multiple, several week-old debris piles up to D2 in size on the tour. But no very large avalanches observed. A very thin freezing rain crust capped the snowpack surface beginning at ~4500' and lasted up to about 6500' where it was replaced by a thicker 1-2cm rime crust. Snow depth on the bridge just below the chalet was 165 cm (65"). No wind until about 7000' when it picked up from the west with moderate gusts. But snow transport was minimal due to the rime crust locking down the snowpack for the most part. I found a few isolated 5-6" thick wind slabs above 7500' and these were unreactive. Dug a pit at 6800' on a SE aspect. HS was 205 cm and I dug down about 130 cm. ECTNs with moderate force just below the surface crust and another crust about 15 cm down. Deeper down the column, I found good structure and no real concerning weak layers. No fractures on any deeper layers in stability tests. I cleared a lot of rime off the Sperry weather station and got the wind sensor working again. Hopefully it lasts. A big thank you to those who cut the trees out of the trail to Crystal Ford. There are another 20-30 trees across the trail between Crystal and the Chalet. No signs of instability observed.

Weather

Cloud Cover

obscured

Wind Loading

light

Recent Snowfall

2

Snow Avail For Transport

small smounts

Cloud deck was hovering just above the chalet and once I climbed into it, I didn't see much but white, except for a couple fleeting breaks at the weather station when I could see the glacier and Gunsight Peak. No precip. Calm winds below 7000', light to moderate west winds above.