Quick report
- Cracking
- specific
A widespread wind-affected snow surface was observed on a NW-trending ridgeline above about 5,000-ft elevation (NW-to-N aspects). At a small test roll on a NW aspect at about 5,800-ft elevation, a very small wind slab about 8-inches thick broke off and propagated laterally for less than 10 feet, but the slope was low-angle and the tiny slab slide down less than 5-feet from the crown. Several quick hand pits dug on wind-sheltered north-facing slopes above 4,000-ft elevation consistently revealed the solstice crust buried about 2 feet below the snow surface. Some clean test shears were noted just above the crust interface, but no propagation or popping was noted in the shallow hand-dug pits. Softer powder and more stable snow conditions were found on wind-sheltered north-facing glades (we ski cut several test slope convexities on shaded and wind-sheltered north-facing slopes around 6,000-to-5,000-feet elevation that produced no cracks, whumpfs, or slides).