Quick report
- Aspect
- Northeast
- Red Flags
- Wind Loading, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Elevation
- 3322 m
- Slope Angle
- 31°
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>While walking the ridge I observed sustained periods of blowing and drifting snow. Top loading was observed into the steep slopes of Upper Horsecreek. Cross loading was observed in the Funnel. </p>
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>Dug a hole on Julie's Backside on a NE aspect at 10,940. I found a deep, strong snowpack with the buried facets down 140cm below the surface. A Deep Tap test yielded a DT23 BRK (an irregular, non-planar fracture on 23 taps). For full details see the profile below. </p> <p> </p> <p>We have a deep snowpack on Northerly aspects. In sheltered areas that are not loaded, I've been probing on average 170-190 cms. On Monday, I traveled across heavily drifted Northerly aspects between Tele Gold and Lone Pine and probed up to 265 cm in more than one location. Here are some things I have been observing lately that suggest to me a general trend toward stability:</p> <ul> <li>The buried weak layer is so deep that it is becoming difficult to dig down to</li> <li>The weak layer can no longer be affected by Extended Column Tests and I have to resort to Deep Tap Tests</li> <li>Column tests are no longer failing with planar shears.</li> <li>Small temperature gradients exists throughout the snowpack including across the weak layer of facets.</li> <li>Facets are showing signs of rounding. </li> </ul> <p></p> <p>The deeply buried weak layer is easily seen here. It is the dark gray line near the bottom of the pack. </p> <p>Strong Southerlies continued once again today. While I noticed a lot of scouring had occurred above treeline, there was still plenty of snow blowing around today. Top loading as well as crossloading was observed and fresh drifts will continue to pile up on all aspects ATL and NTL.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p>
5" of heavy wind driven snow. The kind of snow that keeps you on top - surf's up!