Avalanche Observation : February 09, 2010
Date:
February 9, 2010 Observation Type:
Snowpit / Stability Observation
Route:
Skinned up one of the normal routes through thick trees on the N aspect of the Chicken Wing. Skied the more open NE aspect.
Weather:
Clam, no wind. Cloud cover aprox. 70-80% when we started, 100% and barely snowing as we got back to the car.
Avalanche Activity:
None.
The top 6cm or so on the way up and at the top was light surface hoar and rounded grains. There we some signs of settlement (cones at the bottom of tree trunks and chunks of snow dropping from the branches). The top was slightly wind-effected with small cornices facing NE. We had lots of time and dug a pit in a large opening in the trees at the top. Aspect= 70deg. Slope= 35deg. Total snow depth= 250cm, our pit was 115cm deep. CTM fractured Q3 at 235cm from ground level, score 12; and CTM, also Q3 at 220cm, score 14, both in newer unconsolidated snow. CTH Q2 at 105cm, right at an interface between 1F and P hard snow, score 26. Our extended column test didn't propogate. RBT score 7. Overall bomber snow. The snow was still wonderful to ski and few had skied it yet.