Quick report
- Red Flags
- Poor Snowpack Structure
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Stuck to southerly slopes today and enjoyed some spring-like skiing. Much of the alpine is without snow but observed some terrain that probably harbors a stiff windslab on top of Facets on a NE/E aspect. </p>
Perhaps the one place where you could find an avalanche with windblown snow resting on weak faceted snow (NE aspect NTL).
Fun skiing in this south facing gully. Very stout and supportive crust that was nice and soft around 1 pm. Would probably be a good idea to have ski crampons/whip it if traveling much in the alpine as most southerly slopes feel like April!
Multiple generations of wind events- from SW (earlier) to NW (more recent). Only a few slope have enough snow and poor structure to produce an avalanche.
NW face of Mt. Peale-goats for scale.
Gold Basin-Sun has taken its toll on the south aspects.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>Seems like much of the snowpack is now faceted, the exception being wind slabs in the alpine and slopes exposed to warm temps and sunshine. Nearly all slopes that see sun have a supportive crust and in some places this crust is 1-2" thick. Any time I broke through a wind or sun crust, there seemed to be faceted snow. Didn't venture into any polar aspects today, but NTL and BTL in the trees there seemed to be a variety of shaded areas contained faceted snow.</p>
Low tide, but what little snow is left on solar aspects is pretty dense and has a solid melt freeze crust that offers good travel and decent skiing. The boot packing was excellent with a firm sun/wind crust and at times some dense styrofoam-like snow.