Observation: Public

Observation Details

Signs of Unstable Snow

Observations

The storm and high winds on Saturday 12/4 left very little new snow on the mountain. There were just scattered shallow wind scoured patches on old snow. The storm did lay down 1-2" of clear hard ice that covered all snow and rocks between 5500 and 7500'. The ice was smooth with a lightly pebbled surface. On the ridges above 7,500', spectacular rime ice prevailed. West facing surfaces had ice knobs 4-12" high. There was very little snow below 5500', and ridges are all scoured snow free, but there is still but 1-4 feet in valleys and on lee slopes. All snow was covered in thick ice. By afternoon, ice below 6,000 feet had softened a bit, but above that it remained frozen hard even in the afternoon sun with crampons barely scratching the surface.