Quick report
Although I did not observe avalanche activity, this outing gave a snapshot of what problems to expect with our upcoming and warming weather-- Wet Loose. Wet loos observed two days later in areas that typically slide The alternating ice crusts with rounded, unconsolidated grains creates weak layers between ice layers. in weak layers. Because this was relatively soon after the 3/17 storm, the overnight temps were ~19-20F, and the sun hadn't had much time to heat up the snow, I observed no instability with the exception of baby rollers created in our skin track. The snow was honestly the best I've had all season, with the center and north facing aspects offering deep powder and wide swooping turns.
Weather
- Air Temp
- 31
- Cloud Cover
- clear
- Wind Loading
- previous
- Rain Elevation
- 7500
- Recent Snowfall
- 10
- Snow Avail For Transport
- none
Bluebird day hovering around 30-34 all day. I started my ascent at 230, no clouds, almost no wind.
Snowpack
HS- 205 cm The storm on 3/17 delivered about 10 cm of new snow, with overnight winds blowing more snow into Jawbone Canyon and scouring rock features. 205 - 185 : Fist, then ice layer 180 - 165: 4F 165-163: Pencil 163- 140: 4F * below 155, grains are larger, rounded* 140-135: 2F 135-125: pencil 125- 100: Fist 100-95: ice- Pencil 65-75: 4f/ icy large rounded grains 75-0 (ground): did not measure Performed isolated column test** - ECT 5 (hand) - The top 10 cm showed progressive compression down to 185, then when I tried to remove that part of the column, there was a a somewhat sideways "shear" at fist-finger interface @ 165 **there was a tree behind my column, with branches that affected the ability for the column to break loose, but I think the info provided for the top layer was unaffected by the tree.