Public Observation

Observation Details

Observations

Skied a variety of aspects and terrain types in the general Convict Lake area today. While the carnage of the past couple days was on full-display in this area, I did not encounter any surface instabilities during my tour. In general, E (Old Man Bowl) and SE (large low-angle bowl on the backside of McGee Mountain) aspects skied well before 1200, though S aspects were beginning to become unpleasant by this time; more northerly aspects above ~10,000' (north shoulder of Mt. Aggie and the trees across from Mini Morrison) held a mix of windbuff and powder, depending on how sheltered they were. Of note, I encountered a particularly heinous trap crust on northerly aspects from ~10,000' to the top of the moraine above Convict Lake (~8,200'). It was very unfortunate.

A number of large slides were present in this area, including the previously reported ones from the east side of Morrison and the north face of Aggie. In addition to these, I saw evidence of multiple D1-2s on the east side of Mono Jim, in the Wineglass Couloir area (NW aspect), and underneath White Fang (NE aspect). The NW side of Morrison Col also contained debris from what appeared to be a cornice-triggered avalanche that did not step down to the February PWL. On my way back to the lake (~1400), sizeable wet loose slides were present on Laurel Mountain on nearly all solar aspects steep enough to slide.

Observed Avalanches

Signs of Unstable Snow