Quick report
- Aspect
- Northeast
- Red Flags
- Poor Snowpack Structure
- Elevation
- 3444 m
- Slope Angle
- 27°
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>The snowpack on shady aspects is mostly faceted through and will provide a horrible foundation for a future snow load. Human triggered loose, dry, "facet-lanches" are likely on all steep, northerly aspects near treeline and below. </p>
In our travels today we found generally low danger for slab avalanches near treeline and below on northerly aspects. It's worth noting however that the weak and faceted snowpack is primed for loose, dry avalanches in steep terrain. In fact, they are all but certain. The size of the slope will determine how much snow gets entrained, and situational awareness is critical.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>No slab was found near treeline and below where the snowpack is entirely faceted through. As such, persistent weak layer problems are primarily located on northerly aspects above treeline where old hard slabs of wind drifted snow sit over top of underlying facets. The primary layer of concern at this point is a layer of facets that formed before the January 23 storm of 8"-10". On January 24, strong winds built hard wind slabs in the alpine producing several natural avalanches about 2' deep that likely failed on this layer. </p> <p>Looking ahead, any significant snow load, especially if combined with wind, will have the potential to produce large avalanches breaking below the Christmas rain crust and taking out the entire season's snowpack. </p>
Mixed bag conditions as you would expect from the dry, warm, and windy weather. Southerlies are again melting out. Lots of wind damage and exposed rocks in the alpine. Good turning and riding can be found in "recycled powder" (faceted snow) on sheltered shady aspects near treeline and below.
Thin, wind blasted conditions in upper Horse Creek.