Quick report
We found a complicated layering of multiple persistent weak layers within the snowpack on an upper elevation, northeast facing slope. We got propagating results in an extended column test in a layer of buried surface hoar. The snow does seem to be rounding in many layers but weak grains persist. Very small wind slab formation was observed today on a variety of aspects and the weather was much cooler and cloudier than the forecast predicted.
We saw snow being transported by the wind onto south and east facing upper elevation slopes. We skied a southwest facing slope in Jenny bowl and triggered a very thin (1") wind slabs as we skied down. We got propagating results in a layer of buried surface hoar in a NE facing snowpit at 7800'.Weather
- Air Temp
- 23
- Cloud Cover
- broken
- Wind Loading
- light
- Recent Snowfall
- 6
- Snow Avail For Transport
- small smounts
Contrary to today's weather forecast, it was a relatively cold and cloudy day. The clouds started to clear later in the afternoon and it felt very warm in the sun. Light wind blew from the southwest, and occasional moderate gusts came through.
Snowpack
The surface snow at middle and upper elevations remained cool. We found a small amount of freshly wind transported snow on various aspects. The snow at lower elevations was warm and moist by the end of the day.
We dug a pit on a northeast aspect at 7800'. The depth of this pit was 64" (162cm). We found 4 different weak layers within this pit: buried rounding surface hoar about 15" (42cm) down, buried near surface facets above a crust 20" (52cm) down, near crust facets below the crust, and weak, sugary basal facets at the ground that had not begun to round very much. We performed an extended column test and got moderate propagating results in the buried surface hoar (ECTP19).