Quick report
The buried SH layer buried 14-22 CM down was both verified in this zone and reactive. This layer could be cause for concern with additional new snow and added weight to the snowpack. The Dec 16 PWL is still a concern although is currently very stubborn and unreactive with some very dense, consolidated snow on top of it. It does appear to have some bonding to the layer above it, although we did not test it any futher with a PST which may have provided a little more info. No recent signs of instability.
Weather
- Air Temp
- 32
- Cloud Cover
- clear
- Wind Loading
- none
- Recent Snowfall
- 0
- Snow Avail For Transport
- small smounts
Warmer and beautiful day. Calm winds and lots of sunshine. Great day to be on the mtn.
Snowpack
Dug a snow profile pit and performed a full profile as well as executed a CT, DT and ECT test as well as a shovel tilt test. The objective was to locate and verify a buried SH layer aprrox 14-25 cm down from the surface and to verify and test the Dec 16th PWL. HS at location = 127 On the surface we found visual signs of windblown snow and FC 0.7mm size. 0-21cm down we found FC 0.7mm size with a F hardness. We found the upper layer to be sitting on a 1cm SH layer that was immediately identified with a shovel tilt test and was reactive with the test. We later found the layer also reactive in the CT test with a result of CTM - 11 sudden collapse. From 22cm - 75cm we found more consolidated snow with hardenss increasing with depth from 4F to 1F. These layers consisted of FC averaging 0.8 mm. From 75-95cm we found very consolidated snow with a P hardness and FC showing signs of rounding and closer to 1mm in size. The bottom layer from 95-127 (Ground) consisted of 3mm DH with a 4F hardness. Our tests and results were CTM -11 Failing with sudden collapse on the SH layer 21cm down from the surface. Continuing with the CT test we had a sudden collapse at the PWL resulting in CTH - 16. Wanting to further test the Dec 16 PWL, we chose to also complete DT test and had a sudden collapse at DTH - 22 Lastly we also performed a ECT test with no results / ECTX On our way out we noticed some small point release wet / loose snow avalanches on S / SE slopes, which were expected with the warm temperatures and solar radiation.