Quick report
- Red Flags
- Recent Avalanches, Rapid Warming, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>There appears to be a reactive weak layer just above the previously cited rain crust. And in the upper elevations where the rain did not fall, there is also a very reactive weak layer just above a m/f crust. Both of these were serving as an excellent bed surface where both Slab and Dry Loose Snow Avalanches were easily triggered on steep aspects. In some places there appears to be grauple associated with this weak layer. Yet, and probably of most importance, the layer above these once damp crusts are now showing signs of excellerated faceting due to Melt Layer Recrystallization. This unique Persistent Weak Layer may be lingering for a while on the shady aspects. Significant sluffing was observed and triggered by riders on steep lines in No Name. Significant sized Soft Slab avalanches were observed in West Monitor, Scotts Peak, and No No Name. There were three slides in West Monitor ranging from 150 to 80 feet wide, and none of these were Wet Slabs as previously reported. The slide in No No Name appeared to be 100 feet wide. This one was definitely a natural. The slides observed on Scotts Peak may have been human triggered, yet the one depicted in the avalanche report on the east aspect appeared to be a natural. Of note: multiple pits on NNW and N from 9000 feet to 8900 feet did not have buried SH as was observed in similar locations on Saturday in pits at 8800 feet. As reported from Saturday, the buried SH observed at 70 cm down appeared to be flattened and smashed signficantly from the additional weight and unseasonalbly warm tempertures that occured from Wednesday through Friday. </p>
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>See above regarding No Name. And, with the refrozen and hard interfaces as previously described, this sluffing will continue to be a possibly manageable issue if dealt with correctly; but consequences could turn severe in the wrong steep locations. </p> <p>Cornices will be an ongoing concern with the continual warming over the next few days. </p> <p>Human triggered Soft Slabs as reported today and observed from the previous days may continue to be an issue on steep slopes on the shady half of the compass at upper elevations. It appears that the active winds from the past 48 hours have allowed these Soft Slabs to become more cohesive and reactive. </p>
Three inches of new snow had fallen in the past 24 hours, and that fell during the morning hours on Saturday. In the morning on Sunday before the sun changed things, there was 4 to 6 inches of very light density snow draped consistently over all aspects. This layer of new snow had appeared to dry out and lighten up significantly from Saturday. At 9300 feet, this new snow blanket was resting on a 3 cm thick rain crust, and overnight it's top 1 cm had refrozen. SH had grown overnight and capped this layer; and it was widespread and up to 4 mm in size in many locations.
By 1100, SE aspect began to get damp and the sun continued to work it's affects around the lower half of the compass. Roller balls and Loose Wet Avalanches were observed.