Quick report
- Aspect
- West
- Red Flags
- Recent Avalanches, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Elevation
- 2987 m
- Slope Angle
- 18°
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Saw many tracks in red flagged areas today on steep north facing patsy marly trees. Poor snowpack structure was obvious with boot penetration to the ground and when digging my snowpit.</p>
There is a strong temperature gradient around the crust near the ground. This high temperature gradient seems to be breaking down the crust and turning the crystals into facets. Noted faceting beginning to occur on the surface. High RH and overcast sky's slowing the faceting process down a little on the surface. Forgot to get photo of the snowpit.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>Faceted layers beginning 36 cm's below the surface are the major concern. Any slab avalanche failing on this layer will most likely step down to the faceted layer on the ground. See profile below. Where I dug my snowpit I was finding a 4 finger slab sitting on top of weak facets below. I was in a more protected area where the snow did not seem to be wind driven. Although there was only a 4 finger slab on top, my snow stability tests were still producing results. The snowpack was basically faceted from the ground up to 36 cm's. In the more exposed steeper terrain where you can find a little bit more stiff of a slab, avalanches seem to be very likely.</p>
Where I was traveling today in grizzly gulch the snow surface consisted of powder snow and loose small grained facets.