Quick report
- Red Flags
- Heavy Snowfall, Wind Loading
On slopes less than 30 ° in steepness the avalanche danger was LOW. On steeper slopes in the wind-zone you may have found sensitive slabs of wind-drifted snow and the avalanche danger may have been MODERATE with places reaching CONSIDERABLE as snowfall and winds continued throughout the day. Today, we managed the avalanche hazard by sticking to lower angle terrain out of the wind-zone.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>This morning the newest snow needed a bit of wind to be a problem. We were able to trigger isolated wind-drifted snow pockets underneath cornices on steep north-east facing slopes at 9,400' (photo below). This was running on a dusty density change 1"-2" off of the melt-freeze crust and was isolated to ski width and not running particuarly far on test slopes. Steeper sustained areas in the wind-zone would be different and I imagine would have been touchier today. There is lots of snow available for transport and with strong winds these <a href="https://avalanche.org/avalanche-encyclopedia/#leeward">leeward</a> slopes will continue to load and may be sensitive for the next couple of days.</p> <p>We observed new cornice growth. The old cornices were very stiff and it would take a significant warm-up to shake them loose as things currently stand. The newest cornices were sensitive (see above photo).</p> <p> </p> <p>Photo of old/new cornice 9,300' northeast facing slope.</p>
Snowfall was moderate to heavy throughout the day with approximately 6"-7" of settled new snow. Snowfall density was low but areas where the wind had whipped it around was more of a medium density. The snow surface was primarily powder snow with a very stout 1F+ melt-freeze crust under the newest snow. Lower angle slopes were better skiing as turns were less likely to be affected by the melt-freeze crust. Even due north terrain at 10,000' still had a melt-freeze crust under the newest snow.
Photo of wind-drifted snow and melt freeze crust on a north-west facing ridge at 10,200'