Quick report
We skinned up to Blackmore. On the way, we watched a skier trigger a small wind slab just above the skin track below Elephant Mountain on a N aspect at 8700’. We observed active wind loading throughout the afternoon at mid- to upper elevations with strong winds primarily out of the NE, and wind loaded slopes on both N and E aspects with significant north aspect cornice formation. Temps in the 20s. HS increased to over a meter once up in the bowl after a very scratchy/icy/thin approach. Dug on a SE aspect at 9540, HS 145cm. We found 2mm facets in the bottom 30 cm of the snowpack and about 5cm of new snow that had been blown into stiff, thicker pillows in places. We saw no propagation in our pit, but it was evidence that the weak layer is still out there beneath wind loading. Enjoyed some variable low angle turns on the way out.
Avalanche
- Size
- D1
- Aspect
- N
- Trigger
- AS
- Elevation
- 8700 ft
We watched a skier in another party trigger a small 4”-12” deep wind slab in one of the small chutes just above the skin track below Elephant.