Quick report

Mushroom

Ben VandenBosGalena Summit & Eastern Mtns
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Observation photo 1

Quick report

This was a sunset tour to look at the new snow. There was a layer of wet snow that fell in the afternoon as high as about 8500'. I wasn't out when this happened, but it almost felt and looked like it had drizzed a bit.. There was some water present in this band of new snow, it was quite moist and sticky. Below this elevation there was about 10-12cm of accumulated snow from the storm. The wet snow was most obvious while skinning, and much less obvious while skiing (still good skiing). Dry snow was falling on top of this during my tour (dry-wet-dry sandwich). Above 8500', the 15 cm of new snow was entirely dry and made for great turns and a good chance of getting some powder in your face. All of the snow was somewhat dense, but not in a wet way , more of a tightly packed, dry, granular way. No upside down/storm slab feel to it. Loose wet avalanches weren't on the menu here today. I did not encounter anything I would describe as a wind slab, winds appeared to have been calm to light during the day's snowfall, and they continued to be calm to light during my tour. Today's weather had not significantly increased the avalanche hazard in the terrain I was in by the time I exited the field after dark, but it did significantly increase the ski quality.