Quick report
In general, we were pleasantly surprised by the snow conditions and stability of the snow on the E-NE lines we skied. That being said, there is a stout rain crust up to ~9000' and with widespread wind effect across the whole mountain, the snow surface was highly variable -- especially below 8000'. We were on high alert for wind slabs and certainly found some isolated features with 4f+ hard slabs that ranged from 2"-10" in depth. The wind acts in mysterious ways up high, so these slabs were more feature dependent than aspect/elevation specific -- requiring constant evaluation on the ascent and thoughtful descent selection. On the lines we skied, we observed shallow and isolated 1"-3" wind slabs that were reactive to ski cuts and only propagated a few feet beyond the skis.
Weather
- Cloud Cover
- clear
- Wind Loading
- moderate
- Snow Avail For Transport
- moderate amounts
Yesterday (11/27) it was bluebird and cold with very light wind. With winds increasing slightly and temps staying low, I anticipate wind transport to remain a consideration in the coming days.
Snowpack
Stout rain crust up to 9000' with 2"-12" of cold wind drifted snow on top. Snow surfaces included bulletproof rain crust, blower sastrugi, and 4f+ grabby wind board.
Avalanche
We observed a large natural avalanche on the NE face of Middle Sister. The crown and debris depth were hard to gauge, but it was deep enough to be very visible from North Sister.