Quick report
- Red Flags
- Recent Avalanches, Wind Loading, Cracking, Poor Snowpack Structure
Took an afternoon hike around 3pm with the first thought to head up Flagstaff Shoulder for a descent down the ridge but noticed numerous red flags that made me alter my plan.
The first of which was the little rock shoulder pitch on the lower ascent to the lower shoulder. Seemed there was a rider or skier triggered avalanche right by the trees and a little bit of a suspect hole, which to me looked like someone got caught and partial but not really sure, problem 1 - wind loading.
Decided to go up a little bit further 100 yards around the rock outcrop, shoulder proper to dig a hasty and asses the poor snow structure with grapple 1-2mm and a bit of soft slab from the predominate winds WSW at the time, problem 2 - new snow
Because of the exposure on the ridge and multiple red flags, I made my way down and then headed up to Cardiff Pass instead.
Overall, the new snow is not bonding to the existing suncrust. And windward winds could increase the wind slab potential on aspects S-E-W and loading to N.