Weather conditions:
Overcast skies, snowing lightly by the afternoon. Temperatures warming to the
teens and wind blowing moderate from the NE on the ridgeline transporting snow
and loading SW slopes.
Obvious signs of instability:
Wind loading on the upper ridgelines.
Surface Observations:
– 2″ of faceted snow on top of a supportable crust below 1,500′
– Variable wind slab and wind crust above treeline
– Settled dense powder in wind sheltered areas at and above treeline.
Any hard surface is suspect to have a couple inches snow from Wednesday that was
faceting with the recent cold temperatures. This is a future weak layer/bed
surface combo setting up for Sunday’s storm. However, these couple inches were
showing signs of losing their weak nature with the cloud cover and warmer temps
today (Saturday).
We found old natural activity from Jan 13/14 (most recent natural avalanche
cycle).
PMS Bowl – Large cornice break into PMS Bowl triggered avalanche that ran over
900′ and almost to the creek bottom. This was mostly storm snow but also pulled
out several smaller pockets that broke to the ground.
3,400′ – WSW – 250′ wide – running 900′.
Magnum SW shoulder avalanche.
This slide was a full depth pocket 3-4′ deep (100-130cm). Failing in, or just
above the October facets. It was 150′ wide running 500′ through alders. Slope
angle at crown was 35 degrees and averaged 45 degrees on the steepest part of
the bed surface.
