Quick report
- Aspect
- East
- Red Flags
- Wind Loading
- Elevation
- 3353 m
- Slope Angle
- 20°
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Red flags in this area mostly consist of wind loaded areas. Many drifts were rock hard, I was only able to get minimal localized cracking.</p>
Thin (HS=10-12") snowpack. This is consistent with local snotel and the Brianhead resort snow stake. This area has received 31" in the last three storms which indicates that it has settled to approximately 1/3 of the storm snow depths. Snow is starting to facet but sill very fine grained. No basal facets of note. Upper 3" or so is from the last storm. The lower pack is generally consistent.
Photo - Brianhead side/backcountry. Snow pack still has a long way to go. Groomed slopes at the resort are the only real option for turning. I skied up and down the summer road to the peak.
I would call the Hazard Low. I think it would be possible to trigger a slide if one sought out the right pocket. My main concern is the thin snow pack. I choose to ski the road and made a few turns while accessing a slope to dig a pit.
Hazard is low in this area.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>Wind slabs were present and would be the #1 concern, However they are very isolated in the thin snow pack. I think one would have to look hard to trigger an avalanche. Hollow snow below some of the slabs/drifts is not very faceted yet.</p> <p>Low Danger</p> <p>Normal caution for the thin snowpack, HS is approximately 11-12" at 11,000'.</p>
Snow in most locations was wind affected. Drifts up to 30" deep on Brianhead Peak. Snow is beginning to facet, very fine crystals (<1 mm) 4-finger. Some areas of settled powder but still too thin to really ski.