Professional Observation

Observation Details

Signs of Unstable Snow

Snow Stability

Key Points

Skied off Hemlocks down Sucker Bowl from 9900′ down to 8500′, on NW and W aspects, descending at 2pm.

Surface texture was better than I would have imagined, after getting past Sucker Bowl which was mostly old tracks and grabby crust, protected N and NW aspects steep enough to remain shaded in the warm afternoon sun held up to 20cm of cold snow. Lower angles and W tilting panels in more open trees were already moist and sticky, making the ski down a bit of a chore.

At 8500′ HS was 135cm, and coverage looked to stay good for quite a bit further down the pitch. Skinning back up in the trees required patience, the glopping was pretty bad in the cold snow and almost needed ski crampons on the W facing slopes that had minimal new snow overlying the stout sun crust.