Quick report
- Cracking
- specific
New snow related problems appeared to be the biggest concern. Strong winds with considerable amounts of new snowfall were building soft slabs below ridge lines. We observed snow blowing and transporting pretty consistantly on the ridge top. The newest rain crusts showed they were resistent to propagate, but are likely widespread. Once the snow started coming down, it was nuking big snow flakes. Didn't observe shooting cracks below ridge lines.
Noticed cracking underfoot on an exposed ridge line and the the N/NW leeward side. Small soft wind slabs wanted to break off right below the ridge.Weather
- Air Temp
- 26
- Cloud Cover
- overcast
- Wind Loading
- moderate
- Recent Snowfall
- 20
- Snow Avail For Transport
- moderate amounts
Cloudy skies, with snow really picking up around 1100. From then on, we experinced 1" or more falling every hour for the rest of the time in the field. Winds were strong on the ridge line, with gusts around 40mph. Winds were swirling in the basin but were primarily coming out of the SW.
Snowpack
Noticed a thin rain crust that had developed on 12/21 as the closest rain crust to the snow surface. Likely widespread, we observed this on a South and West aspect. Around 2"-3" below that is a small crust from 12/18 that is softer than the 12/21 crust. The 12/7 rain crust appeared to be very decomposed around 6,400ft. No propagation in pit tests. South aspect showed a small layer of preserved stellars above the 12/8 rain crust that didn't propagate, but did sheer easily with a shovel sheer. Concerns with instability appear to be mostly confined to the top meter of the snowpack.