Quick report
- Collapsing
- isolated
I found an average of 10 cm of new snow today in the 9000' - 10500' elevation band today. Shifting winds have moved snow around. I found deeper deposits (observed up to 30 cm) and scoured slopes. There was evidence that southwest winds, west winds, and north winds have affected the new snow. Despite winds, I observed minimal instability and minimal slab formation aside from the 3 avalanches.
Below 8300', BTL, I observed only a trace of snow that was wet @ 3 pm and bonded well with the crust beneath.
I saw 3 D1 avalanches that released sometime in the last 24 hours, and some significant sluffing from human tracks. See avalanches. Experienced a small, localized collapse on an ESE aspect @ 10500', ATL. I dug into the snowpack and found the collapse occured on a layer of facets beneath a 7 cm K hard crust that lies beneath the new snow. The crust was inconsistent in distrubution and hardness on this slope. I found it ranged between 2 and 12 cm, and 4F to K hard.Weather
- Air Temp
- 32
- Cloud Cover
- broken
- Recent Snowfall
- ~ 10 cm
Today was cloudy with moderate northwest - west winds mostly visible and felt at higher elevations. Winds tapered in the afternoon. Clouds dissipated where I traveled as the day continued, but were coming in in pockets further south. Temperatures were moderate. Overall, it was a very pleasant day in the Sierra.
Snowpack
- F to 1F hard Wind Slab development on all aspects, but isolated to features (depressions, gullies, slopes beneath ridgelines, catchment zones). Generally small in size. Limited to no cracking. No results on test slopes.
- Wind skin to 5 cm - 1F,
- Soft slab up to 30 cm 4F/4F-.
- North, BTL, 9500' - Height of Snow: ~ 165 cm, Height of new snow: 10 cm. New snow sits on a crust facet crust combo, above 1F hard rounds.
- East, ATL, 10500' - Height of Snow: ~ 190 cm, Height of new snow: 20 cm. Crust/facet combos in upper 60 cm of snowpack. P hard snow to 140 cm. 4F hard snow to 180 (ground).
Avalanche
- Size
- D1
- Count
- 3
- Aspect
- N
- Trigger
- N
- Elevation
- 11100 ft
The upper circle in the photo is a small, D1 wind slab. Occurred sometime in the last 24 hours. There is debris circled below - it is hard to see if that is from the same crown, or a smaller crown or point release lower down. Many details unknown.