Quick report
- Cracking
- specific
- Collapsing
- isolated
We observed three natural avalanche crowns on leeward, wind loaded slopes that likely happened in the past 24 hours. We experienced cracking in windpacked snow on ridgelines and adjacent to cornices. One member of our team heard whumpfing while descending a SE facing 30 degree glade at 5000'.
Weather
- Air Temp
- 21
- Cloud Cover
- broken
- Wind Loading
- moderate
- Rain Elevation
- 1800
- Recent Snowfall
- 80
- Snow Avail For Transport
- large amounts
Intermittent snow fell from broken skies throughout our tour. Light winds on the skintrack gusted moderate on ridgelines and we observed active cornice formation and moderate amounts of blowing snow.
Snowpack
Winter is back! Breaking trail through two and a half feet of unconsolidated snow is hard work but we were happy to oblige. This new storm snow was evenly deposited in light winds overnight and is sitting on a layer of 1 to 0.5mm faceted grains directly above the most recent and uppermost crust from Saturday. Wind gusts have picked up since last night and we observed a few newly wind scoured slopes, new cornice formation in blowing snow, and some wind packed deposition. Our main problem is still a storm slab but keep your eyes on changing conditions with this much snow available for transport. Hurricane Ridge has many varied terrain features and the winds often swirl around small ridges and drainages. Windward slopes will be scoured and the snow stiffened and textured, leeward slopes often sit below cornices and wind-deposited snow will be more cohesive atop unconsolidated storm snow.
Unfortunately, low snowpack travel obstacles are still lurking under the fresh, unconsolidated snow. Another unusual problem for this winter and our zone: immersion. You can easily get buried if you fall in this soft, deep snow even outside of avalanche terrain. Watch out for tree wells, keep your ski/snowboard tips up, and be cautious about lurking hazards. This new return of winter is beautiful but also potentially distracting: stay aware of hazards.