Professional Observation

Observation Details

Signs of Unstable Snow

Snow Stability

Key Points

Toured from 7000ft up to 10,200 ft on the North face of Red Mountain and here is what I observed:

• Was able to skin and ski from the car/road by staying in north facing terrain and gullies.
• Relatively shallow snowpack with the following measurements:
  • 7200 ft HS of 50cm
  • 8400 ft HS of 65cm
  • 10200 ft HS of 75cm
• Lots of well developed facets/facet chains (20-30cm+) bellow whatever crust lay on the surface at all elevations
• Isolated pockets of 3mm surface hoar in very sheltered terrain
• Very minimal signs of accumulation from last weeks storm with 1-2cm seen in pockets above 8500ft
• Bellow 9000 feet  a 3-5cm knife hard melt freeze crust over facets.  The crust varied in thickness and supportability depending on micro aspect and proximity to trees/vegetation.
• Above 9000 feet 5-10cm of p hardness wind board/sastrugi crust over facets
• With significant force I was able to produce some small isolated cracking in areas of recent wind deposited snow, but pockets were very small and shallow (2-8cm deep)
• Ski crampons useful above 8500 feet
• Survival skiing conditions with plenty of obstacles and breakable crust between 8000-9000ft
  

  Facets bellow the crust at 8400 feet

  

  Facets just bellow the crust at 7200 feet

  

  survival skiing zone with plenty of obstacles

  

  sastrugi at 9500 feet

  

  Looking up at the upper chutes from 10200 feet

  

  pumice/rock chunks wind blown onto sastrugi at 10000ft

  

  Scout Enjoying the facets around 7500ft and the best turns of the day

  

  Looking up at Red Mountain from the road at 7000ft at 13:30