Steep Creek

Warm and sunny at Steep Creek today. We saw multiple Na and Sc Loose Wet avalanches to size 1 and one Na sz1 soft slab avalanche. Solar slopes became reactive very quickly.

Witnessed 3 Na sz 1 point release slides and one Na sz 1.5 soft slab triggered by a point release on W aspects (all triggered within 10 minutes from solar exposure/radiation). Sc sz 1 point release on W/NW aspect. Throughout today there were 4 Na loose wet avalanches that we observed on S aspects between Steep Creek and Joffre Lakes while driving, sz 2 or 3 (unsure on size as we could not see start zones) that ran full length of slide paths.

Observations limited to hand shear tests on W aspect, indicating roughly 30 cm of storm over laying an HST interface/crust. Surface snow rapidly settled into a slab with introduction of solar radiation. Cornices were witnessed on alpine ridge features. Cornices on Steep Peak were gigantic and were receiving solar radiation throughout the day. I suspect cornices are rapidly weakening, and should be given a wide berth.