Observation: Public

Observation Details

Observed Avalanches

Signs of Unstable Snow

Observations

Saw a number of old crowns on the south side of Bryant Peak, wet loose releases on E faces of Chair Peak's SE ridge and S/SE aspects of Bryant and Hemlock. We heard a few releases as we were digging a pit along Draft Dodger Ridge for our AIARE2 course.
The layers were generally consolidated, but there were some interfaces of potential concern: the 2/3+ and last week's storm interface; a smaller interface between the 2/3 and MLK interface and the MLK interface.
The results were roughly as follows.
Relative pressure test showed that the first layer was weak (Fist) with and not consolidating to the layers below it and the layers below were anywhere between 4F and 1F/pencil hard. It was mostly right side-up, with facets at the described interfaces. The 30cm D layer interface was small PPgp.

We did an ICT, ECT, and I did a DCT because I identified some facets of interest in the side wall. HS was approximately 195~210cm.

ICT results:
- CTM4 SP 30cm D
- CTM10 BRK 35cm D
- CTH10 SP 85cm D 2mm FCXR

DICT result:
- DCTH6 SP 120HS

ECT result:
- ECTX

We conducted some non-standard tests as well, like a tilt test and a more forceful ECT-like test; our instructor "wailed on" the column a bit -- probably double the pressure as CTH. After 6 additional non-conventional loading steps, the column failed in an ECTP-like way with with SP characteristics.

Weather was cool and partly sunny (BKN) in the morning, warmed up and cleared up as the day progressed (FEW), then cooled down and became obscured in the afternoon (BKN/OVC -> X). The cloud deck seemed to be lingering around 5k' in the afternoon.

Source Lake was exposed, there were some visible hazards down the creek bed from the Great Scott Bowl (exposed trees primarily over convex rollovers).

Snow started refreezing in the shade/after the sun went down. The Bobsled Run was icy below treeline.