Quick report
- Red Flags
- Wind Loading, Rapid Warming
Wind slab and wet snow were what we were looking for, however, we saw no evidence of cracking or instability. We avoided open slopes that were exposed to the most wind deposit and skied in and out of tree sheltered areas. Snow surface conditions were about 4 inches of settled snow covered in widespread graupel. The skiing was creamy and best in the shade.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>Our party was on high alert for triggering wind slabs as we traveled in North facing terrain after yesterday's high wind speeds. I was surprised to see that winds were not what I anticipated today. At the ridgeline we felt light S-SE wind and saw no transporting snow from our vantage point. There were signs of yesterday's wind with some crossloading and stripped South facing slopes, as well as exposed temperature crusts. Ridgeline cornice was medium size. One cornice in particular caught our eye (skier's left peak of 8 Ball). We thought were may be looking at an old avalanche crown that ran on a temp crust, but with lack of debris, we think its just cornice with a scoured crust beneath. </p> <p>At lower elevations below 9,000' snow was already wet at 9 AM. Point release rollerballs above road cutbanks in direct sun. Damp temperature crusts exist under recent storm snow on E and S aspects. </p>