The crust sandwich is the December 1st rain crust. -AJB
Observation: Summit
Location: Manitoba Trees
Skinned up standard Manitoba uptrack Saturday, Jan. 9th. Snowing lightly (<1″/hr) with 2-5mph N winds at 12:00 pm. Overcast and concerns about high Thursday snowfall (heard reports of 1 ft of snowfall on Thursday, Jan. 7) caused us to ski the lower trees on the SW aspect from about 2135′ elev. instead of heading all the way up. Snowpack in the trees was good (ECTX) but not representative of conditions higher up due to protection from wind. Two 1cm rain crusts were observed, possibly from rain events the week of Dec. 4-10?
Forecaster Comments
Observer Comments
One whumpf from settling in recent snow layers was triggered by humans on flat terrain down by Mills Creek. No other signs of instability.
Weather
Heard reports of 12" / 30cm accumulation on Thursday, Jan. 7. Observed 2" / 5cm of new snow on Friday, Jan. 8; and roughly 6" / 15cm on Saturday until Sunday morning. Air temperatures from trailhead (~1250 ft.) to 2135 ft. were barely freezing, -2 to 0C.
Wind speed was 2-5mph from the N
Snowpack
Dug a pit to ground level and performed an ECT at 2135', SW aspect before skiing the low-angle hill near the uptrack. Snowpack was 155cm deep and good, ECTX and mostly right-side-up. Two ice crusts at roughly 60cm above ground level were observed. Snow at ground-level was good, pencil-hard with no basal facets.
This data is not representative of the main Manitoba run because it is sheltered from the wind. Wind-effect is the main reported issue higher up.
Pit profile
20210109_131250
Pit location is near the top-left of this image. Location is sheltered from wind and not representative of higher conditions.