Professional Observation

Observation Details

Signs of Unstable Snow

Snow Stability

Key Points

• No signs of instability today.
• Started at ~7,000′ near the highway just before 8am, air temp = 26°F, thin high clouds covered ~1/4 of the eastern sky, calm winds.
• Southeast gully had very slight surface softening, just enough to make skinning without crampons reasonable up to ~10,000′ (crampons would have made it more relaxed though!)
• Booted with crampons from 10,000′ to the summit at 10,800′, with very variable boot penetration from 5cm to just below boot top.

Booting at ~10,200′ on SE aspect of McGee at 10:40am.

• Winds were mostly calm up to ~10,500′, above they were light upslope until the ridgeline where they were consistent light to moderate out of the east.  Above 10,600′ the SE aspect remained locked up and slick due to the cooling winds.
• Air temp at summit (10,800′) at 11:30am = 32°F.
• Skiing down at 11:45am seemed as good as we could hope for today, and was a mix between some firm and edgeable areas that were more shaded and more easterly facing to just enough moistening and softening on the the more southerly facing side of the gully to be fun from~10,500′ and lower.
• The snow while shusing out along the road at lower elevations was still quite firm at 12:30.
• Again, nothing softening to any degree that would be considered concerning in our travels today. Just good reminders to bring the proper tools (ice ax, crampons) and consider timing solar slopes thoughtfully.