Quick report
Generally stable conditions exist. Went to look at surfaces in anticipation of snow. Still finding weak snow on shaded middle and upper elevations. Slopes taking direct sun have stout crusts.
Saw a handful of small, wet loose avalanches in the Boulders on the drive over. They were primarily on SW and SE aspects.Weather
- Cloud Cover
- few
- Wind Loading
- none
Inverted temperatures this morning. The day started partly cloudy with moderate SW winds. A band of high clouds rolled in around 2:30pm. Temperatures were warm to hot.
Snowpack
Goals today were to inventory surfaces before incoming snow. 1.) Map where sun crusts extend 2.) Determine where facets are at their worst.
Solars: SE-S-SW-W
Solars were taking heat today, but wet loose never kicked off while we were in the field.
Solars took a beating from the sun and warm temps over the last few days. Solar slopes up to 9800' (as high as we got) had a crust. Crusts were most supportable and thickest on souths, and tapered to punchy, but still 3-5cm thick as you wrap towards colder aspects. Most crusts are very roughened by this extended drought.
Shady: NW-N-NE
Surface facets are found on many wind-sheltered middle elevations, and the lower portion of upper elevations. Near-surface facets are fist hard and are 1-2mm. Anywhere there is a kiss of sun, a razor-thin surface crust exists, even in sheltered locations. This is solely driven by sunlight at middle and upper elevations. Below about 8000', a temperature crust exists on even due norths.
Surface facets are still intact in locations where wind affect, and sun affect don't exist. These locations are becoming increasingly difficult to find, but in general it's 8000' and up on NW-N-NE.
Solar Margins: WNW and E
These are the closest aspects to call the 'solar margins' right now. Surface conditions seem mostly black and white based on solar input. Anything that is receiving sunlight is taking heat, anything shaded is staying cold, there's not much in-between. WNW and E are the exceptions. Surfaces on these aspects are holding gooey facets when in the sun, and I'm sure they would be zipper-crusted when not in the sun. These aspects are a question mark in my mind. They don't appear to be obviously weak, but could have the 'goldilock' razor-thin crust/facets that could produce avalanches when loaded.