Observation: Public

Observation Details

Signs of Unstable Snow

Observations

Weather: Cool in the morning, warmish by 11:00- soft-shell up and down weather. Calm wind, scattered to partly cloudy (BKN). Solar aspects released roller balls & pinwheels, up to small spare tire size, during initial warming- of which crossed the existing skin track in several places.

SNXPX: S aspect, 15 degree slope, BTL/ 4,600', Shovel Tilt Mod down 35cm, CTM (12) SP down 40cm, ECTN 15- down 40cm, fracture initiated but did not propagate across the entire column. While confirming that my ECT cord adequately cut through the column I pried with my shovel resulting in a planar failure down 60cm. No grain form observed on this interface. A right side up snxpx (4F-P+) was observed down to Nov 17th rain layer (MF/RG) 80cm down. NE aspect, 25 degree slope, BTL/ NTL @ 5,000' test slopes and hand shear showed the same obs. Moderate shears down 30 & 45cm. Test slopes on isolated cross loaded terrain features only released small wind effected slabs, approximately the size of my splitter, no propagation.

Overall: Many people riding on a variety of aspects and slope angles with only loose dry observed, which was slow, shallow, and not running far. Saw some good conservative decision making and communication between groups, but also folks skinning up from below while others were descending down from above. A nasty combo.