Observation: Public

Observation Details

Observed Avalanches

Signs of Unstable Snow

Observations

Treed areas until around 4200ft had inconsistent snow cover and travel other than on foot was erratic at best. The Dec 9 melt freeze crust is new "ground zero", a frozen layer about 4" thick with moist pencil hard snow beneath, to ground. This new crust is supportable on skis and mostly supportable on foot as well except in irregular spots. The Nov 18 crust is still present but broken down extensively since 2" rain event.

Above the Dec 9 crust is 4-6" of fist hard new snow, not at all wind affected. Upon reaching clearings beginning around 4200ft and above, extensive surface hoar growth was noted on the new snow surface in all exposed treeless areas, ~3-7mm.

Steep sunny slopes had loose wet avalanches up to size 1 today. They didn't entrain much snow and didn't run very far, as there wasn't much loose snow overlying the crust. Surface hoar was destroyed on that aspect, and I expect a thin crust to be present there tomorrow. There were very few small loose dry avalanches but they did not entrain much snow nor run far. They did not run on the new/old (crust) interface, which was well bonded, but moreso around 2" down, as the new snow was "right side up" in nature. This is the same as results I got from numerous quick hand pits I did today while ascending as I inspected the new snow/old snow interface.