Observation: Public

Observation Details

Signs of Unstable Snow

Observations

Travelled in Tronsen NMA between 9 am and 1 pm between 3900 and 5600' on northerly aspects. Cold w/ Light Snow (S-1) in the earlier hours of my tour switched to freezing rain around 11:30 am during my first ski run. Winds increased throughout the day and felt moderate from the NW on a North aspect (upslope) at ~5500' at noon. Skiing was good settled powder on first run, but by the time I transitioned for second run at ~12:30, a noticeable freezing rain crust had developed. My clothes were frozen solid by the time I got back to the car at 1 pm and I had to clear ice from my goggles several times on the way down to see.

I skied slopes in the upper 20s to low 30s with steeper rolls around 35 degrees. I did not observe any signs of instability while breaking trail or skiing. HS ranged from ~70-120cm (based on quick measurement with my ski pole) on rocky scree slopes between ~5100'-5600.' Coverage seemed highly variable depending on where the wind put the snow.