Quick report
- Cracking
- isolated
Experienced some isolated cracking in previously wind loaded areas. These cracks remained underfoot and did not propagate. No other red flag signs of instability. See "Snowpack" below for snowpit data.
Weather
- Air Temp
- 30
- Cloud Cover
- few
- Wind Loading
- previous
- Rain Elevation
- 2,400' (observed)
- Recent Snowfall
- 0
- Snow Avail For Transport
- small smounts
Temperatures were in the upper teens at the bottom of the Road Run and we quickly noticed an inversion as we gained elevation. Experienced temperatures during the day were near/at freezing. "Spring glove" conditions. North facing terrain was quite comfortable temperature wise. Skies had few clouds and winds were calm.
Snowpack
At lower elevations (below 2.500'), a stout, unbreakable/supportive crust had a few cm of snow on top of it with intermittent deeper faceted snow. We noticed at these lower elevations, fairly widespread 3-4mm surface hoar. As we gained elevation, these crusts became more brittle with facets and surface hoar above and near surface facets below. New storm snow was everywhere from 10 to 50cm on top. Generally, anywhere crusts or wind slabs were not present, the snow was faceted and loose. Above 2,400', faceted snow made for really nice touring and down skiing conditions.
Dug two snowpits, both in our mid-elevation band (2,500'-3,500'). The first pit at 2,600 NW with a height of snow of 147 was looker's left of a natural persistent slab avalanche that ran on midpack facets during last week's storm. ECTP26 on the basal facets See photo below for more data.
The other pit was in softer snow just below ridgeline where a shallower snowpack appeared a little more rightside up. ECTX on basal facets with some ECTN results on density breaks in storm snow.
Avalanche
Observed a few older avalanches on northerly terrain on either side of Stairstep ridge. See media below.