Quick report
- Red Flags
- Recent Avalanches, Wind Loading
I ws expecting to see plenty of wind damage following the strong wind event from Wednesday, but the wind damage was much less than I was anticipating with plenty of low and mid elevation terrain holding soft snow that fell late Sunday and into Monday, followed by the few cms that fell Wednesday afternoon. Where there was wind-loading, the drifts were shallow and for the most part, the drifts were unreactive to ski cuts and other quick stability tests. A few pockets did crack out 30-60 cms from my skis. Even though only a few drifts were reactive, with such widespread wind-drifting, I would give any wind-drifted slope another day to settle out.
Low danger outside of wind-loaded terrain and moderate danger on isolated steep, upper elevation slopes that are wind-loaded. Incredible travel conditions with such good coverage and plenty of soft snow at the low and mid elevations.
Photos:
- Wind effect in exposed, upper-elevation alpine terrain.
- Wind-eroded slope in exposed terrain.
- Shallow natural avalanche from a (likely) wind-loaded slope
- Another natural avalanche below White Baldy
- Cross-loading on Long John Silver
- Stunning views in the alpine!
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>The strong winds on Wednesday created pockets of wind-drifted snow on all aspects at the upper elevations. The drifts were generally only 5-15 cms thick, but some were up to 30 cms thick.</p>
Wind effect was most evident in exposed alpine terrain above about 9,500'.