Observation: Public

Observation Details

Signs of Unstable Snow

Observations

Skinned up to the top of Roaring Ridge. There was ample evidence of wind transport in the form of cornices, wind drifts all over the ridgeline, and numerous small wind slab pillows down lower. Down low, the slabs were soggy and unreactive, even to me jumping up and down on them. As we ascended, they became markedly more reactive around 4500 ft or so, and only became moreso as we neared ridgeline. At the top I could cause them to crack and shatter without much effort (obviously only doing so in safe locations). The snow near the top also became much more winter-like around the same point, with some well settled powder found in sheltered trees. Most everything else was moist, slightly crusty, or both.

Also noted a number of roller balls on steep slopes lower down the mountain (sub 4k or so), and possibly some loose wet debris in a few slopes.