Observation: Public

Observation Details

Signs of Unstable Snow

Observations

Below 5,500' there is just a dusting of new Wednesday/Thursday snow and it melted by mid-day leaving very firm packed old snow. Above 5,500' old snow has a thick ice layer on top that my crampon spikes penetrated less than an inch. New snow exists in scattered wind transported layers that rarely exceed 2-4" deep. The only exception is the top 40 feet of the lee (east) side of Monitor Ridge above 7000'. New snow blown over the ridge has formed a steep 30-45 degree slope with snow 10-20 inches deep. It appears well bonded to rough ice beneath, but this may not be true away from the rocky ridge that underlaid the route that I traveled.

Last week, between 4800-5000', cornices on the east side of the route had 1" wide cracks 3-8 feet back from the edge of the cornice. This week those cracks are 6-10" wide. (photo). A slow-motion gliding cornice failure.