Professional Observation

Observation Details

Signs of Unstable Snow

Key Points

Winter is here! An abrupt change from what has been a very mild fall means changing out of uncomfortable rock shoes into… also uncomfortable touring boots. It’s going to be a long winter, feet.

Against all better judgement, and trying to pretend to be like the cool Wasatch boyz who have been skiing actual snow all week, I went up to the Lakes Basin to see what came from this last system.

• It is definitely NOT ski season yet. Coverage is thin. Good time to get out and stretch the legs on the road, which has good enough coverage that I never hit asphalt.
• HS ranges from 5cm in scoured areas to 45cm in lee and drifted in areas. Average HS on the backside of Lake Mary was 20cm. Plenty to skin around on, and even glide down mellow slopes with no ground cover like behind the pack station.
• Many sheltered and leeward areas had a 1F, firmer and more supportable base that kept the bases and edges off the asphalt, though mostly very cold and light snow that provides little base. Looking forward to what this larger system next week brings us!
• Don’t forget to donate to ESAC this season, your support is important! https://www.esavalanche.org/support/donate/
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