Observation: Public

Observation Details

Signs of Unstable Snow

Observations

Weather: S-1 with Moderate gusts moving snow into isolated terrain features and creating a thin wind stiffened surface in specific cross loading features.

SNXPX: NTL, near ridge line, NW aspect, 20 degree slope, CTM RP down 40, CTH RP down 60. Neither of these slid easily or crossed the column in a single loading step. This observation site had a generally right side up resistance profile down to 110cm (max depth observed) ECTX. Initial interest in softer interfaces did not produce any results on these columns.

Overall: many people riding on a variety of aspects and slope angles with no instabilities observed, even with a lot of recent snow plenty of floral terrain traps and shallowly buried rocks. Boot pen was deep and especially hollow around trees. We avoided steeper shallower and actively drifting start zones.