Steamboat & Flat Tops
AvalancheJason Konigsberg · Jan 17, 2019 · Steamboat & Flat Tops
Snowpack
We traveled from 9600 ft to 11000 ft (treeline). Below treeline the snowpack is faceted top to bottom and generally less than one meter in depth. A snowpit on a below-treeline northerly slope revealed a 80 cm deep snowpack with about 5 inches of recent snow at the surface. This recent snow was the only layer that wasn't faceted crystals or depth hoar. The depth hoar near the bottom of the pack was up to 4 mm in size and four-finger or less in hand hardness. Even with the generally soft snowpack results from an Extended Column test still showed propagating results at the top of the DH or 30 cm from the ground.---Near treeline the snowpack depth was deeper. It was hard to gauge exactly as the wind was brutal and we did not spend much time above the trees. A snowpit at treeline had a depth of 150 cm. The bottom 50 cm of the snowpack is depth hoar with a similar soft, large-grained layer as discussed above. Stacked on top of this layer is ~20 cm thick, pencil-hard hard slabs with thin layers of facets in between. Extended Column test showed no significant results but with the thick and hard snowpack probably not a great indicator.---It will take a good storm to to build a slab and create heightened avalanche conditions below treeline. Right now just generally unsupportable and soft. Near treeline the snowpack is stronger but capable of producing larger avalanches. Basal layers will be tough to effect but a large loading event would do it or a trigger on a rocky slopes with thin spots.---With the last storm deposited snow on westerly-facing slopes there is ample snow to move back onto easterly.
Avalanche
No avalanches observed. Limited visibility