Quick report
- Red Flags
- Recent Avalanches, Rapid Warming
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>We observed numerous small to large Wet Loose's along the Western ridgeline (S-SW-W facing) between Ben Lomond and Chilly Peak, likely all releasing naturally on 2/24 during peak sun. Many were long-running, deeply gouging, and covered multiple aspects in their tracks. Some point releases were initiated as high as 8500ft and ran down into low elevations. Starting zones were primarily near/within rocky outcroppings and along steep, exposed slopes. Most occurrences were prominent within mid-elevations. Unfortunately, this is a good indicator of what's likely to persist this week with increasing temps in the forecast.</p>
Photo 1 depicts the headwall of Ben Lomond and the variable snow surfaces we encountered today on most aspects, with rippled snow, sastrugi, stripped patches, evidence of recent wind loading, shimmering crusts, a kiss of soft snow, etc.,
Photo 2 looking onto the Western ridgeline towards Chilly Peak and beyond. Multiple natural Wet Loose's can be seen from good distance.
Snowpack
As mentioned above, winds and cooling temps kept snow surfaces locked up on nearly all aspects. S-SW aspects below 8000ft softened up enough to support some good turns, but the remaining majority of the compass remained stiff, cold and textured. Recent winds, warmer temps and variable/weak overnight freezes along snow surfaces in the Cutler Ridge area have created heavily textured and scratchy conditions, with varying sastrugi, firm sun crusts, wind board and the occasional tiger stripe of cold snow. Snow surfaces were mostly supportive, with ski penetration averaging 2-4in along the common Cutler uptrack. Southern aspects were able to snag a bit of warming by the afternoon, with wet snow found in the upper 2-4in below snow surfaces above 8500ft. The extent/depth of surface saturation increased as we lowered into mid elevation S-SW-W aspects. Wet snow instabilities were largely absent today, with infrequent/small rollerballing and slowly increasing boot penetration depths on southern aspects into the afternoon. Due to the hardened snow surfaces, minimal to no active snow transport was observed, and fresh wind slabs were not identified today.