Professional Observation

Observation Details

Signs of Unstable Snow

Key Points

Toured in the Sherwins on N, NW and NE terrain up to 9500′.

• Winds were strong all day, gusting to 40mph along exposed ridge tops. S1 precip rate most of day, increasing by mid afternoon.
• HST up to 10cm in sheltered locations, though even densely treed ridges were being stripped down to old snow leaving exposed crusts and raised tracks.
• Numerous surface cracking up to 3m but no deeper than 10cm. Reactive test slopes were isolated. Confirmed structure containing old windslab sitting on 2mm FCs, though was unreactive in tests.
• Significant drifing snow along Sherwin Creek Road (and folks getting stuck sideways blocking our exit) caused MLPD to close the road at Sherwin Meadows Ranch this afternoon.