Observation: Public

Observation Details

Observed Avalanches

Signs of Unstable Snow

Observations

Travelled to around 7000' in the Lake Basin environs. Noticed widespread wind affect on all aspects and all elevations. Found solar aspects to hold a stout crust at the surface or 5-10cm down, depending on wind transport. NE/E/SE aspects were guarded by large cornices. We investigated a prior crown that was partially buried and did some hand shears and compression tests both in an area that had slid and one that had not. In both areas, we found sudden planar failures above a stout crust at 40cm depth as well as a faint crust at 45cm depth.

We investigated northern aspects to see if they had more stability but hand shears quickly identified a 5cm soft slab sitting on top of a 25cm hard slab on the same stout crust on that aspect, so we skied mellow slopes <30 degrees.