| Recent Avalanches? | No |
| Collapsing (Whumphing)? | No |
| Cracking (Shooting cracks)? | Yes |
Observation: Summit
Location: Tenderfoot
Standard route on WSW aspect to 2400′ tree line. 4-6″ total of new storm snow from the Christmas storm that ended early this morning. The snow was very tender, cracking was observed while breaking trail off the old skin track. No new avalanche activity was seen, but overcast skies made it difficult to see detail on surrounding peaks.
Obvious signs of instability
Observer Comments
The new snow was very touchy off of the established skin track where cracking was common.
Weather
Overcast
20F's
Calm winds
Snow surface
4-6" unconsolidated new snow
Snowpack
Very thin snowpack. At 1200' there is about ~12" of snow total. At 2400' there is ~20" total. Off of the the old ski track ski pen was almost to ground and so was boot pen. The snowpack is very weak, with basal facets and faceted snow in the bottom 1/2 of the snowpack. Buried surface hoar was also found below the new snow.
Numerous hand pits all failed easily or on isolation on large grain facets (2mm.) See photos below of the weak snow layers within the snowpack at 2200' and 2400'.
Cracking within the new snow was common when breaking trail off of the old skin track
Hand sheers failed easily on 2mm facets
The current snowpack in summit lake is composed a variety of very weak snow
In Summit Lake only 4-6" of new snow fell during the Christmas storm (12/24-12/26)
12" base is not enough to cover the vegetation on the lower elevations of Tenderfoot