Snowpack

Vista Ridge/Mitchell Creek

Joe DellaportaMt Hood
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Quick report

Cracking
specific
Collapsing
isolated

Typically confined to loaded slopes.

Snowpack

I went out to hunt for weak snow associated with the 12/30 and 1/4 crusts. In a test profile on a NE aspect @ 5800 ft, I did locate a weak layer (4f hard) of 1 mm mixed forms. This layer sat 55 cm below the snow surface just beneath a crust and did show the ability to propagate with PSTs. I received a 20/100 End x 2.  Check out the media for more details.

I didn't have to look far to find evidence of wind-drifted snow. From the parking lot, I observed heavy drifting and reactive wind slabs on test slopes along cut-banks. All these red flags made it easy to stick to mellower slopes in sheltered areas. 

On my exit, an avalanche course reported hearing a whuphing collapse on a sheltered slope @ 5000 ft.