Quick report
- Aspect
- North
- Red Flags
- Wind Loading, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Elevation
- 2743 m
- Slope Angle
- 20°
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Plenty of facets warrant poor snowpack structure, however, we were surprised that mid pack was relatively strong (4F/1F). Often after an extended dry period much of a thin snowpack seems to be comprised of facets. Maybe the somewhat warm temperatures helped limit mid pack faceting. Facets near the top of the snow profile were relatively weak, however, because the new snow was low density and cohesionless, this didn't propagate far. </p> <p>Wind and loading was mostly an issue along ridgelines and did not seem to extend far downslope. Wind seemed like it increased late in the day and created some odd drifting patterns at low elevation on our exit.</p>
Hasty PST shows snow easily fractures but surface snow was so weak that we did not have extensive propagation. That will change with more snow load.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>Gray facets clearly visible in image of pit below. With more snow forecast this week, two layers near the top of the pit image are likely to become more active. In steeper terrain, it was easy to initiate decent sized sluffs indicative of weak surface snow. These were large enough that they could could potentially knock you over. Additional snow will easily overload this weak snow and could create more connected avalanches.</p> <p>Low density snow easily trasported. We skied mostly out of the wind so it wasn't so much an issue for us, however it could be in more exposed terrain.</p>
New snow was low density and not cohesive out of the wind. Old snow was relatively firm and an old tracks were unpleasant.