Quick report
- Red Flags
- Heavy Snowfall, Wind Loading
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>The wind seemed to be the main red flag today with a light to moderate northwest wind that was transporting snow off the ridge lines. I was not finding the new snow and recent wind drifts to be all that sensitive and things would just crack and not move too much. It felt like a moderate hazard where I traveled in the mid-elevation area around Gold Hill, but maybe a wedge of considerable hazard for the higher terrain. </p>
The highway gate is now open on the north slope with a few inches covering the pavement that was exposed last week.
A nice spring storm with around 12-14" of medium density snow that rode quite well and smoothed out the old hard surface.
Where I traveled today along the Gold Hill ridgeline, I was not finding the new snow and wind drifts to be all that sensitive, just some cracking and minor sluffing of the new snow. It did not feel like the new snow has slabbed up much and nothing was propagating a crack where I stomped around. Conditions could be more connected and sensitive up higher in the wind zone.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>Plenty of wind and new snow to blow around and form fresh wind drifts. I was not finding anything too sensitive today, where I traveled the drifts would crack and break off with just some minor sluffing. Possibly a more elevated hazard in the higher exposed terrain.</p> <p>The new snow felt like it bonded to the old snow surface even in some steep areas where the old hard crust was underneath. With some warming and settling the new snow might start to slab up a bit more and could see some soft slab issues. </p>
A great storm on the north slope with a solid 12-14" of medium density snow that made for some very nice riding and turning.