Quick report
- Red Flags
- Wind Loading, Cracking
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Wind loading and wind slabs were found on numerous aspects but remain stubborn. Localized cracking in wind loaded snow, and hollow-sounding cornices were noted at higher elevation along the ridge lines and open faces. A few spooky sections had me fairly on edge, but I was able to navigate these sections with careful route finding and avoidance of those specific areas. </p>
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>The winds seems to have affected every aspect. Stubborn wind slabs were found, especially at the higher elevations, and had me feeling on edge in a few areas. Though the recent avalanches from these slabs have been relatively shallow, getting carried is certainly possible and would be very problematic in the wrong terrain. </p> <p>There are some monster cornices on the ridgelines. The continued winds will be adding to their size and loading. They appear to be rather soft and the cracking I noted leaves me feeling that they could be unstable if provoked. I gave them as wide a berth as possible, not only for the safety of myself and my group, but for those who may be traveling below us as well. </p>
Very mixed surface conditions today. While the skiing was decent, it wasn't the great powder we experienced earlier in the week on southerly aspects. Dense loose snow mixed in with wind crusts up high. Warmer temperatures combined with radiant energy dampened the surface snow in the lower elevations as we worked back to the road. I suspect that this may have been the last decent day of south facing conditions and that a frustration crust will likely form overnight until we get some more snowfall.