Quick report
- Cracking
- isolated
We utilized the high pressure system to access Oval Peak via the South Ridge over the weekend. Travel along Eagle/Oval creek was pleasant with typically soft snow. The more shallow snowpack east of the crest did harbor hidden tree wells that one needed to remain ever cognizant. We observed flagging along high exposed ridges and fast moving clouds on Saturday. Though the weather was calm and sunny on Sunday. Many open slopes BTL on east and west aspects were significantly affected by wind with very firm textured surfaces. On the west and south slopes at tree line and above a light zipper crust had formed from the sun that did soften by midday for moderately ok skiing. The south ridge of Oval was hard wind board. On occasion I could cause cracking of wind textured snow though this usually isolated and mostly released only a few dinner plate sized “death cookies”. The ridge and summit were quite shallow with lots of exposed rocks. What wasn’t wind board was faceted snow among rocks. We skied an east aspect in the upper West Buttermilk drainage finding highly variable snow also caused by wind. We collected a snow profile at 7300’ in a flat wind sheltered basin. The snow surface was soft with a depth of 152 cm. The views were much better than the skiing.