Gray Butte

The objective of today was to assess snow stability associated with the warm conditions. Today was a surprisingly warm and still day. Upon reaching the summit of Gray Butte, the weather station was recording 39 degrees F, but with radiant heat, it felt like the 40s. The snow started out firm, but quickly became soft and punchy. Travel was challenging due to punching through the skin track on the way up, and punching deep into the snow on the ski down. Field observations aligned with what was observed yesterday, the snowpack is beginning to erode with the warm temperatures and recent water input. Multiple interfaces and crusts contain water, reaching 25 inches down. Roller balls and pinwheels were easy to initiate, often entraining moderate amounts of snow.

A pit was dug at 7,700 feet, off of a northwest aspect of Gray Butte. Similar to what was found yesterday, the snowpack showed a series of crusts containing water, with the deepest one being 28 inches down. The top 6 inches of snow has become loose, wet, unconsolidated, and easily punched through. Beneath are a series of 4 finger hard wet crusts, with drier snow in between. Below these crusts is 15 inches of moist snow and a pencil hard crust. The pencil hard crust is holding wet snow above and below, with dry snow beneath. This pit is a clear sign that water has percolated deep into the snowpack, weakening specific interfaces and crusts.