Quick report
- Red Flags
- Heavy Snowfall, Wind Loading
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Two day tour in the range during a fairly intense and unfortunately warm early March storm. Observed only small wet avalanches below around 6500' on north facing steep, rocky terrain in isolated pockets. Skiied E, W, NW and S aspects at elevations ranging from around 9300 - 7300'. Observed no audible or visible cracking along route at higher elevations. One member of the party measured snow depth at 135" at 8800' on a 30 degree W facing aspect. Tests performed included compression and shovel shear tests with some shearing at the new snow and old snow interface. Compression test did not shear cleanly with gradual breaking apart of the column. Was cautious particularly of danger of wind slabs (see below). Despite crossing over and under numerous historic avalanche paths, and skiing a few, on most aspects we failed to detect any avalanches at mid or high elevations. </p>
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>Small wind slabs of 3-6" were easily triggered on ridgetop test slopes with W and NW aspects at elevations of around 9000', however, no wind slabs were triggered on slopes below, either on similar test slopes or during ascents/descents. There was significant wind loading occurring on N facing slopes on Saturday. A few cornice breaks were performed on one test slope of N aspect at an elevation of around 8500' with no results on slopes below. </p> <p>Snow was extremely moist below around 7000'. Small localized wet slides were detected on rocky N facing slopes. </p>
Damp new snow between around 6500 - 7000'. Marked snow quality improvement above this level.