Lake Valhalla

Good visibility and somewhat reactive storm snow made it easy to confirm the forecast and gather observations while moving. Significant new snow and sun, along with overnight wind transport all contributed to today's avalanche conditions. Wet loose avalanches were the most prominent problem of the day with numerous natural avalanches observed on sunny slopes. Triggering avalanches in the new snow may've also been possible on steep convex features and immediate lee sides of ridges. 

Instability increased until clouds thickened mid-afternoon

The surface of SW-SE slopes hold a breakable crust that formed today. Aside from drippy, low-elevation forests, other aspects stayed dry. Above 4,000ft, 20-25cm of new snow rests on 10cm of snow since the 21st. The Solstice crust is ↓35cm, merging into a much harder (K+) 12/17 crust. This matrix of ~10cm of crusts is capping stout mid-pack slabs (1F-P). At 5,040ft, we found the 12/7 crust down 108cm. The height of snow is significantly shallower below 4,000ft. At 3,600ft, we found just under a meter of snow on the ground. 

We dug a profile above Lake Valhalla, NE, 5040ft. HS 209cm. Below the new snow, all layers were moist or frozen to at least 1 meter below the surface. As noted above, the 12/17 and Solstice crusts have merged into a stout series of layers capping the rest of the snowpack. Tests produced the following:

↓25cm, 12/22: Very easy, planar shovel tilt tests, CTE (PC/RP) on 0.5 facets (FCsf). The new snow was dry

↓35cm, 12/21: Moderate, planar shovel tilt test, CTM (RP), on 0.3-0.5 facets (FCsf) on the Solstice crust

↓83cm: Moderate Deep Tap (DTM (RP)), very clean but incredibly resistant, on large surface hoar (5.0mm). Moist snow on either side of this layer.