Steamboat & Flat Tops

Temperatures were in the mid-teens to low-twenties, but felt much colder nearing the saddle and on the ridgeline with the moderate winds and strong gusts. Winds were generally from the south but were blowing from the east on ridgeline. Overcast to obscured skies with moderate snowfall for much of the day.

On west through north through east aspects on Hahns Peak, the snowpack ranged from 100-135cm. The general make-up of the snowpack from the top was: 13-20cm of new fist hard snow, a thin crust or small rounded facets layer aspect dependent, about 20cm of mostly decomposing fragments, and then another crust or well-developed facets. The well-developed facets were buried 34-45cm down on northwest, north, and east aspects observed. I saw propagation on this weak layer of facets on a wind-loaded east facing slope after 7 taps in an extended column test, but did not see propagation on this layer or anywhere else in the snowpack in sheltered terrain. Walking atop a test slope with cornices built-up on the north leeward side, I was easily able to break off deep chunks. While they did not propagate far, some broke about 2+ feet deep, likely on the same weak layer observed in snowpits. Walking on the ridgeline, it was clear winds from this storm were predominately blowing up the east face, as snow was unusually loaded further west on the ridge.