Quick report
- Red Flags
- Cracking, Collapsing, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>We didn't notice any new avalanche activity today and when we had eyes on upper Gold Basin into Red Snow Cirque we could barely make out the crown from the avalanche Eric reported from 12/7. The light was still quite low when we were looking. We did experience some cracking and collapsing. I'd call it more isolated than widespread, and we were hunting for it. The biggest collapse we experienced was at 11,040 feet on an almost due north aspect. The collapse was pretty loud and did shoot some cracks out above were I was standing. See photo with ski pole. The bottom line is the snowpack structure is poor and I've been taught to never trust a facet. </p>
Obi turns 1 today.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>The poor snowpack structure is there and as evidenced by the Red Snow Cirque avalanche from 12/7, and the continued cracking and collapsing. My biggest concern is terrain that faces W-N-E above treeline where the wind has stiffened up the most recent storm snow and created a more firm and connected slab above the November facets. To me these slopes are off limits if they are above 30 degrees in steepness, and lets face it that's almost all of them. I'll treat the south half of the compass as guilty until proven innocent. </p> <p>Still not going to ski anything steep on the north half of the compass. The southerly winds are loading NW-N-E aspects and that load is falling on our buried PWL. Bigger avalanches will be found were the wind has stiffened up the snow and created a harder slab. And lets not let our guards down with cross loaded terrain features that might not be as obvious since they aren't in your face right at the ridgelines. This trend will remain the same as long as the winds continue to blow and there's snow available for transport.</p>
The 14" of new snow that has fallen within the past 72 hours is still nice powder on shaded and sheltered slopes, and has a bit of a wind buff in terrain that is more exposed.