Observation: Public

Observation Details

Signs of Unstable Snow

Observations

Headed up to Mt. Catherine today to see how the PWLs were looking in this area of the zone. Was hoping to get some visibility to the surrounding peaks to look for recent avalanches, but snow showers and windy conditions kept the skies grey all day. Plenty of snow getting blown around by the wind starting at road level and again near the ridgeline. Stepped on some new wind rolls and got shooting cracks and cracking. Could see textured surfaces, blowing snow, and wind-deposits on leeward slopes near the ridgeline easily.

Dug a pit at 4260 to purposefully look at the PWLs in our below treeline band. Height of snow was 270cm. The Mid-January crust was 80cm down, which is much shallower than in other parts of the zone where we have been looking. For comparison, this layer is 150-160cm deep in other areas. There were 3 well defined crusts above the Mid-January crust, all separated by 8-10cm. The upper snowpack above these crusts was rightside up. Compression test results repeatedly failed around CT22 on the Mid-January crust or the crust just above it before stepping down to the crust, depending on where I stopped cutting the column. Results were not as planar as some other locations I have dug, but facets are still there and easily identifiable.

It was really cold, especially in the wind.