Quick report
- Aspect
- Northwest
- Red Flags
- Recent Avalanches, Rapid Warming, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Elevation
- 3444 m
- Slope Angle
- 17°
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>It feels and looks like May, but digging down on a NW facing aspects NTL shows poor snowpack structure with weak faceted layers still exists. W facing aspects NTL show several stout MF crusts with weak faceted snow below. I did observe the toe of what looked to be a wet loose avalanche NTL on SW facing terrain in Talking Mountain Cirque. Increasing concerns for rising danger with wet loose avalanches and even wet slab avalanches as the week continues with warming temperatures. </p>
Snow pit on a NW facing aspect NTL showing poor snowpack structure.
Snow pit on a W facing aspect NTL showing more stout MF crusts with weak snow below. Concerns as temperatures increase and water moves down through the snow this week.
Toe of a wet loose avalanche on SW facing terrain in Talking Mountain Cirque.
A look at our N facing terrain in Gold Basin prior to the heat dome.
Skiing good corn on disappearing slivers of hope in SE facing terrain. Bare S facing terrain. And, a good look at the poor winter we’ve had as things bloom in the sun at 10000’
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>Warm temperatures without overnight refreezing leading to concerns for a rising danger for wet loose and wet slab avalanches. </p> <p>While hard to trigger, persistent weak layers still exist on North facing aspects. </p>
Everything from soft snow on high elevation northerlies to wind crusts, melt freeze crusts, damp spring like snow on southerlies and even dirt. The snow surface is haggard and I found the best turning to be corn on SE and SW facing aspects. However, with warm temperatures and no solid freezing overnight that looks like it will come to an end.