Observation: Public

Observation Details

Signs of Unstable Snow

Observations

Moving through bagley basin in the morning, it was full clouds, little wind, and warm. Clouds became thinner at times and snowfall came intermittently but the sun never came out in the morning. Ski pen was anywhere from 4-10 inches on the approach varying greatly. Trending toward deeper down lower and shallower as we climbed. Previous wind loading was visible around trees and on the east face of herman in the form of pillowy surfaces. Off of table mountain on the north side, old slide paths were visible that have been filling in from the storm. Heading up the boulderfield, debris from an old slide path was visible and felt underneith while breaking trail. Some small natural dry loose point releases were visible that looked like they had slid overnight. A hand shear near treeline on a south facing aspect showed fist snow down about 10 inches to 4 finger snow for another 3 before the crust. The block sheared off with moderate force applied and broke unevenly at the fist to 4 finger interface with little energy. When we got about 3/4 way up the boulderfield we started to notice some intermittent isolated whumpfing and shooting cracks started happening while cutting switchbacks. At that point we decided to rip skins and head down. We passed a group on the way back that had heard of people that day triggering small slabs in the enchanted forest that were breaking up to 18 inches. We then headed to cheap date and 5 minute trees. Along the way we tested some small inconsequential convexities and cornices with no results. We finished on NW facing slopes below treeline and ski pen was then roughly +knee height. By this point it was after 1200 and the snow became more steady and coming in denser. I got some dry loose sloughing to come off on a small steeper planar slope. We went to a lodge after and coming out at around 1430 the sun was out. While driving down trees were shedding snow and rollerballs were visible from the road. Overall blower snow pretty much everywhere we went in the morning.