Quick report
- Red Flags
- Recent Avalanches, Heavy Snowfall, Wind Loading, Cracking, Rapid Warming, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Poor Structure confined to Density Break within the new snow that was anywhere from 15cm to 25cm down depending on the time of day. This slight density inversion did not adversely effect the riding conditions, but it was easily identified and just kept getting deeper with the additional new snow as it fell. The weak layer was a light density layer that fell early in the storm overnight. Reports from mid BCC indicated a Widespread Shallow/Soft Slab/Storm Slab Cycle mid day and this appeared to be running on the same storm break weakness observed in Snake Creek. No avalanche activity observed due to very poor visibility. Rapid Warming confined to the lower mid elevations and the lower elevations in the late afternoon when the intense April sun came out. </p>
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>See above for observed Wind Velocities; and the upper elevation remote weather stations are still registering Strong/Extreme WNW Winds at the time of this writing. </p> <p>Dry Loose Touchy in the beginning of the day out of the wind effected terrain on all steep slopes and aspects. See above regarding the Storm Slab issues. </p> <p> </p> <p>Considerable Danger confined to the Wind Loaded upper elevation terrain on all aspects due to the Extreme Gusts and Strong sustained velocites. Moderate hazard on Mid and Low elevations. </p>
Day started with HN24 of 25cm, and there was at least another additonal 20cm that fell throughout the day at the upper elevations. HN24 at 8000' at the beginning of the day was 15cm with an additional 20cm that fell during the day. Excellent riding conditions on all aspects until exiting at 1500. The new snow and wind were filling in tracks and the skin trail all day long. The sun came out around 1515 effecting the S, SW and W at least at mid and lower elevations. Westerly exposed ridgelines at the upper elevations were Wind Scoured.