Quick report
Observed danger was limited to small loose snow avalanches that might do some harm in extreme, high-consequence terrain or if you were standing directly below a snowy cliff seeing direct sun. Excellent snow conditions with minimal sun effect in most areas. There are still some lurking but small wind slabs out there (check out ob from Canyon Creek). Worth keeping an eye on the 12/27 interface and also the current snow surface as new snow adds more load. It's not guaranteed these interfaces will produce widespread issues. But when we get more snow they could definitely make the next round of avalanches bigger than expected.
Signs of instability limited to recent avalanche activity. No shooting cracks, wind drifted features and small cornices stubborn to unreactive, and hand shears required much pulling to pry off a block.Weather
- Cloud Cover
- few
- Wind Loading
- light
- Snow Avail For Transport
- moderate amounts
Splitter morning with increasing clouds and south wind in the afternoon. Minor wind drifting along Herman Saddle as winds picked up. Colder than it's been in a while.
Snowpack
20-30cm of F to 4F new snow. Observed surface faceting from clear sky overnight. At lower elevations you could feel some crust under the new snow, but it was hard to find above 4500' or so. Various storm layers and a few soft crusts above the prominent 12/21 melt-freeze crust - down 80-120cm. The interface of interest is still weaker snow under a thin crust or stiffer snow at the 12/27 interface. ECTP from the elbow down 40cm in 4F snow under 1F - decomposing fragments with signs of faceting.
Avalanche
Observed a variety of avalanche activity today, but mostly inconsequential. Lots of human and naturally triggered loose snow avalanches. Naturals were often the product of snow shedding off of cliffs warming in the sun. A few wind slabs estimated at 24-48 hours old. One human triggered on the east aspect of Table at 5200' (Alaskan Amber, lower section just north of the Diamond), and another on the north side of the Diamond summit ridge - trigger unknown but possibly natural (photo).