Quick report
- Red Flags
- Wind Loading, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>We observed some stiff wind slabs at the top of corkscrew and a few punchy pockets on the way up.</p>
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>The wind slabs that formed with the last storm seem to be gaining strength, but I would still be cautious around areas of rounded pillows of wind deposited snow. </p> <p>Their are some layers lurking in the snow pack that have been gaining strength with recent warm weather, but at upper elevations these will take longer to heal.</p>
Its felt like spring time in the mountains of southeast utah today with a variety of snow surface conditions that changed through out the day. On the skin out to corkscrew we found plenty of stout melt freeze crust wherever the sun had reached the snow. This included the lower west facing apron of corkscrew. We found plenty of settled boot top powder in the trees and sheltered areas of the glades. We also found several stiff hollow sounding wind slabs in the open area at the top of corkscrew. These were not reactive to our party traveling over them, but did raise a red flag for the group. By the time we headed back to the trail head for some refreshments the sun had softened the melt freeze crust on Mister Toads Wild Ride and made for a pleasant glide out.We also found some corn on a south facing slope in Dorey Canyon.