Professional Observation

Observation Details

Signs of Unstable Snow

Snow Stability

Key Points

Toured today up the Punta Bardini Old Growth, happy to run into some other folks to help the arduous trail breaking. Overall impressions are that this end of the Sherwins received less snowfall than the Mammoth Mountain and Lakes Basin areas.

HS was pretty consistent whether at the bottom of the Tele Bowls or at the top of Punta, 65-70cm was about all I could probe for unless choosing wind loaded deposits along the ridge. Less HS meant way more sharks to look out for, and there were a few more audible connections made on the way down.

Dug a quick hole in an area that received more wind affect near the top of the ridge, and while the surface snow had been textured from the wind there was no noticeable slab. Compression tests again reliably identified the mid storm layer down 35cm but with no real storm slab the results were broken and of poor shear quality (BRK/Q3). The mid pack seems like it has stiffened up a bit overnight providing for a bit less bottomless skiing experience, though boot pen was still 60cm and ski pen was 35 cm.