Quick report
The Feb 8 storm snow has partially melted at low eleavations but we were able to drive to about 5000' and there was minimal dirt riding beyond that. There is up to 6" of soft snow from earlier in the week on northerly slopes, but everything E-S-W has a surface temperature crust. Not offensive, but not powder.
None observedWeather
- Air Temp
- 32.2
- Cloud Cover
- overcast
- Wind Loading
- previous
- Recent Snowfall
- 0
- Snow Avail For Transport
- small smounts
Skies closed to overcast by 1000h and we rode into the cloud around 6000'. We had small water droplets freezing on the goggles briefly. The cloud ceiling lifted in the PM but winds stayed light southerly. Freezing level somewhere around 6000'.
Snowpack
Widespread surface hoar on the surface was the most notable observation on all aspects up to 6700' on Flagstaff. In some meadows, it was up to 20mm, but most were 6-8mm.
At 5700' S at the bridge by W Eagle, we found 80cm or 2.5' total snow. Solar slopes near there had dirt patches. A temperature or freezing mist crust exists on the surface and the surface hoar in some places has rime (moisture).
At 6000' NE we had HS60 total snow and only break failures below the Jan 3 crust in compression tests (CTs), indicating a non-cohesive slab. There were still rounding facets near these two crusts, down 12 and 18cm.
At 6700' ENE we found HS77 and no failures in a CT. See profile.