| Recent Avalanches? | Yes |
| Collapsing (Whumphing)? | Yes |
| Cracking (Shooting cracks)? | No |
Observation: Summit
Location: Fresno
Broke a non-direct trail from the Manitoba lot, cognizant of managing our slope angles.
Obvious signs of instability
Observer Comments
Wind initiated avalanches on Fresno the day before
Whumfing on a three occasions.
Weather
Calm with light north gusts
Clear skies
Temps in the single digits to teens
Snow surface
Most of the surface snow was consolidating powder. Areas with exposure to winds from yesterday developed a skin from barely noticeable to a 3-5" wind slab. I suspect this slab formation was much more significant in upper elevations and in more wind exposed areas.
Snowpack
Informal pole probing throughout the tour indicated a slab over fist hard facets.
Our compiled results:
Fresno
Pit #1
2500'
SE aspect
HS155cm
PST 30/100 End and PST 35/100 End ↓100cm on Fist hard 2mm facets
Pit #2
2500'
SE aspect
HS=145cm
CT11 ↓ 105cm on 2mm facets (F hard layer)
ECTP15RP ↓ 25cm on DF and NSF
ECTX
PST35/100 End ↓ 100cm on 2mm facets (F hard layer)
Evidence of wind on the surface. Most of the wind skin wasn't tough to ski through.
The January facet layer was 100cm down from the surface in this location.
We avoided small features with steep slopes and terrain traps.
A view east from Fresno. Photo: H. Thamm
inermittent wind crust in exposed areas, mostly above 1500'