Recent Avalanches? | No |
Collapsing (Whumphing)? | Yes |
Cracking (Shooting cracks)? | No |
10:00-Standard Uptrack through Virgin Creek Trailhead to Alder Meadows. We intended on skiing Mount Hibbs but decided to ski Max’s SW face for two laps due to time and wind-loaded/scoured conditions. Great skiing overall, but the face is heavily wind-packed in isolated areas, with visible surface hoar (SH) to 2,500ft.
Recent Avalanches? | No |
Collapsing (Whumphing)? | Yes |
Cracking (Shooting cracks)? | No |
We encountered whumphing at approx 2,000 feet on a wind-compacted, hard surface on a SW Aspect.
Recent Dry-Loose Point releases from both Skier-triggered and natural releases on all aspects throughout the Virgin Creek Valley (Orca/Max's) to include SS and HS crowns on Mount Hibbs.
Clear skies all day.
No Precip.
Calm to light winds (<5mph) from W & SW encountered above 2,500-3,000ft on Max's once exposed above ridgline.
Uptrack to Alder meadows is consistent to skin with short portions of boot-packing for efficiency.
Surface hoar is visible and obvious until 2,000ft+, with .5-1" feathers growing on surface and alders/trees.
No riming on trees above 2,000ft, possibly due to Inversion and sun exposure.
Surface hoar is hard to find under magnification above 2,600ft.
Variable from 2,000ft+ as wind-crusts, SH, and near-surface-faceting (NSF) were encountered.
Styrofoam-esque ,wind-packed crusts were frequent on the SW uptrack to Max's Wx Station.
Two informal snowpack assessments were conducted to evaluate the unique conditions.
1: 12:30, HS 240cm, W Aspect, 3,075 ft. Slope 30º, -11ºC
CT 24 SP. 40cm below surface on Facets (LOC)
2: 14:55, HS205, W Aspect, 2,560ft, Slope 30°, -9°C
See Hardness Profile Photo
Overall there is a 30cm F-1F wind compacted slab sitting from surface to a 2cm MF Crust with .5-1mm Facets, both above and below.
Additionally, there is a MF crust with facets above and below, 105cm below surface .
There is a MF layer approx 30cm thick from Base up, and could not accurately find basal facets, but I intend on searching for SBSH, Basal facets and conducting further tests on this 30-40cm LOC.