Quick report
- Red Flags
- Poor Snowpack Structure
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>It's still early in the season and we are looking at a complicated snowpack structure so far. We've got facets down low with more cohesive snow layers on top. Now we mix in the recent, dense snow with high SWE, crusts, and who knows what the next storm will stack on top. It's interesting from a snow science perspective but scary from a riding perspective.</p>
The road is very slick and snowpacked once you hit the Geyser/Loop Road Jct. Please drive slowly.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>It's still lurking.</p>
An unsupportable crust of 2-4mm thick was apparent on top the snowpack. Rime ice was evident on trees and signs during our travels and that leads me to believe the crust was the result of supercooled, suspended, water droplets freezing as it contacted the snow surface. The further up we traveled, it seemed the crust was a little more supportable but also a bit more reactive. I am interested to see what happens with a new load on top of this thin crust. Otherwise, we have a good amount of snow out there and in some areas, I could sink my entire ski pole into the snow! Lots of snow combined with a poor snowpack structure is keeping me ultra-conservative in my backcountry objectives. Patience is the name of the game in the La Sals.