Quick report
- Cracking
- widespread
- Collapsing
- widespread
I experienced frequent collapses while traveling on untraveled SW-W-NW-N aspects at middle elevations. The frequency of collapses varied through the tour, but I'm listing distribution as widespread as they occurred on many of the varying slopes I traveled on. Many of these were relatively small (a few ski lengths), but some collapses involved entire sections of large meadows and openings. Cracking was frequently visible after these collapses occurred.
Weather
- Cloud Cover
- overcast
- Wind Loading
- light
- Recent Snowfall
- 2-3
- Snow Avail For Transport
- small smounts
Evening wx obs, 2100-2330: steady low end of moderate winds blowing out of the S, S-1 precip throughout most of tour, mostly small, rimed grains. Temps in the upper 20s F at highway. 2-3cm new snow.
Snowpack
Goal was to keep the streak alive and continue to gather information about the ever-changing snow.
I searched out some untraveled snow to move through. I experienced frequent collapses where I found it. Many of these were relatively small (a few ski lengths), but some collapses involved entire sections of large meadows and openings. In general, things "felt" a bit more active than in recent days, maybe as a function of increasing slab integrity due to warm temps/slabs consolidation? Hard to say without being in the exact same spot every day.
Snowpit dug on NW aspect at 8,900: HS=60cm. 11/30 weak layer down 40-45cm under slab that grades fairly evenly from F to 1F-. Significant faceting present within the slab. Snowpack tests returned ECTN 18 and 19, and CPST 23/100 and 18/100, both to END. Fairly unambiguous results: slab is faceting, fracture propagation is more challenging in a brittle slab, but weak layer is not improving significantly. This will light back up with enough additional loading. Worst grains in 11/30 package are dry, 3-5mm, cupped, striated DH.
2-3cm of new snow from today's storm. This buried facets, facets + crusts, and some surface hoar. The SH I found had drooped over a bit in the previous day's warms temps, and did not look as concerning as it might have previously. Warm temps have also helped the snow in the upper 10cm to gain some strength, this snow has changed quite a bit in the past few days. Still doesn't look great, but a little better.
Avalanche
I did not observe any new avalanches. I could not see very far in the dark.