Quick report
- Red Flags
- Recent Avalanches, Wind Loading, Cracking, Collapsing, Poor Snowpack Structure
Photo taken from the Smiths parking lot at 7:30 am. North winds sublimating snow into the atmosphere. Lots of low density snow available for transport.
North aspects with recent deposits of wind drifted snow seemed touchy this morning. Collapsed this slope as we approached it. Lots of slopes just waiting for a trigger.
I decided to ski south facing low angle 30 degree terrain today and not only was the snow nice, but the sun felt good as well.
Snowpack
Seems like the storm just didn't have enough wind and water to create a widespread full depth avalanche cycle. Most of the natural avalanches were confined to the new storm snow and were not breaking into deeper weak layers at the ground. It looks like we are continuing to build the slab.
I believe the most suspect slopes are the upper elevation shady slopes that have recent deposits of wind drifted snow. There are lots of slopes just hanging in balance waiting for a trigger. Out of the wind zone the snow-pack lacks the slab and connectivity.