Observation: Public

Observation Details

Signs of Unstable Snow

Observations

Traveled up mostly treed terrain east of Henry Creek to ridge line south of Jim Hill, topped out at 5910'. Lower environs of Henry Creek will need a few more storms before travel out in the open is reasonable/recommended.

Day started mostly clear at 1000 with few clouds, trending to overcast in the early afternoon and eventually fully obscured with light snow showers by the days end at 1530. Winds were non-existent to calm in the terrain we traveled through.

Travel above the clearcut to the east of Henry Creek was thin but reasonable in old growth to around the 5,000' level with increasingly supportable travel above that elevation.

5260', HS 80cm (in canopied terrain), ski pen 10-15cm, boot pen 25-30cm, air temp 22deg
5500', HS 130cm (in open terrain), ski pen 20cm
5850', HS 170cm. Pit at this location identified 15cm non wind-affected new snow from the prior 24hrs sitting atop a thin surface hoar layer, ECTN 1 on this layer, I imagine in steeper wind loaded terrain this layer could produce skier triggered avalanches. 25cm down was an even thinner weak layer, ECTP 14 Q2, resistant planar. 120cm down a stout knife hard crust was noted, with facets above and below. This layer sheared easily in a shovel shear test.

We experienced no collapsing nor evidence of avalanche activity. We comfortably skied north facing terrain in the 25-30 degree range between 5-6k'. Surface/riding conditions at this elevation band were excellent. Lower down, descending from 5k to road was mostly supportable and smooth in treed terrain or clear cut. Surface snow in this band remained cold and dry.