Quick report
- Aspect
- Northeast
- Red Flags
- Recent Avalanches, Heavy Snowfall, Cracking, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Elevation
- 2195 m
- Slope Angle
- 30°
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>A couple of dry loose avalanches were observed on the east face of Aire. By noon, the new snow was settling quite a bit, and cracking was observed. Above 7000' on shady slopes, old snow has created a poor snowpack structure.</p>
We traveled in Parley's Canyon for the first time this season with the goal of ascending north-facing slopes until we found where old snow had survived the January drought. We found weak, faceted old snow on shady, cold slopes above 7000'. The snowpack in this region is highly variable, and frequent pole probes will help you locate areas that were holding snow prior to this week and are now suspect.
We found a consistent 16 inches of new snow, even at the trailhead, that was right-side up. We also observed two dry loose avalanches on the east face of Mt. Aire, each running roughly 100 feet. By noon, soft snow was beginning to consolidate and crack, and snow at lower elevations were getting worked by the sun and temps.
Snowpit on a NE slope at 7200'
Coverage
Moose bed
Snowpack
Consistent 16" of new snow in this zone. Winds had swept nearly all snow away from windward areas, while depositing it in 2-3' drifts on leeward slopes. Still quite thin.