Snowpack

Observation: Hells Canyon

Jared AllenOgden
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Quick report

Red Flags
Wind Loading, Poor Snowpack Structure

Beautiful morning for a tour ahead of the next storm. Temperature at the trailhead mid 20s.

Sky: OVC

Wind direction: SW

Wind speed: medium to strong gusts

Weather comments: No precipitation. Storm rolling in

Photo: wind loaded NE facing aspect

Video: shows the SW wind transport of new, low density snow down the canyon

Snowpack

Instability Comment
<p>8 inches of new, low density snow from the overnight storm bonding well with the weekend storm snow on East and North aspects. Observed pockets of wind slab in an East-facing gully at 7600 ft. In those pockets we had ski penetration of over 30 inches. South facing snow pack structure at 7200 ft. was poor and wind affected. </p> <p>Didn't dig but mindful of the increased load on our poor, faceted layer near the ground with another storm hitting later today. </p>