Quick report
- Collapsing
- isolated
We found excellent riding conditions with about 40cm of unconsolidated snow with minimal wind effect aside from ridgelines in our observed elevations from 7,000' to 9000'. Our pit at 8560' on an ENE aspect had an HS of 110cm, and poor structure in the lower snowpack that produced ECTP14 25cm above the ground. Prior to the series of storms that began on 12/15, the southern salt had a very thin and faceted snowpack, that is now overlayed with a 3-4 foot slab. The facets comprising the lower snowpack are visibly rounding, but still weak. We experienced some large collapses in open areas that we rode. We did not ride on any slopes capable of producing an avalanche. Within the new snow there are multiple interfaces resulting from temperature swings and dry periods between snow, some could be seen in our pit wall as pictured. The interface we found at 67cm above the ground seemed particularly poorly bonded, and the leftover block from our ECT sheared easily on this interface.
Weather
- Cloud Cover
- broken
- Snow Avail For Transport
- large amounts