Public Observation

Observation Details

Observations

Skied Red Mountain yesterday. Snow was heavier than expected, and skiing was hard work. We toured up the lookers right glades, as did several other parties. No signs of instabilities where we were but didn't get high enough to peak into the main gullies. Snow down low was very choppy with lots of tracks.

Dug a hand pit around 9500' and tapped on an isolated block. The block broke nonplanar about 2' down and a planar break about 4-6" down. There was no noticeable difference in hardness between the layer that broke and the snow below, and on all subsequent switchback kicks I couldn't get the layer to break even if I jumped repeatedly. The only cracking we saw on a switchback kick was at 10k' on the lee side of the ridge that was getting loaded.

In the trees and bowl there was little to no wind, but winds were ripping on the ridgelines and large spindrifts were blowing on the ridges to the east of the marker on the map. Lots of blowing snow.

Signs of Unstable Snow