Steamboat & Flat Tops

Avalanche

Cody M. Perry · Jan 4, 2014 · Steamboat & Flat Tops

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Weather

Mostly cloudy skies today with on and off patterns of snow fall. Light to moderate winds out of the west. Temps around -6c at 10a.m. becoming colder toward one o-clock at -12c. Becoming partly cloudy approaching sun down.

Snowpack

6 to 8 inches of new storm snow. Widespread recent winds have left decent top and cross loads on east and north facing slopes in this area. Profile site on an east slope @ 9000ft. with a 35 degree slope. 100cm depth. Over half of this snowpack is only two weeks old. Below that lurks of persistent slab foundation of weak crispy grains. Shovel tests were inconclusive showing mixed results that were hard to zero in and focus on. Some tests achieved results down on the persistent slab layer, a crust, @ a height of 30-35cm. Other tests revealed a hidden layer (@ a height of 75cm) we couldn't see or feel in the soft new snow. But tests results are to dang slope and site specific to bring it up. roughly speaking the upper 3/4ths of the pack is showing a nice trend of firming and metamorphism. while below that stuff is just hanging out. Wind loads were snappy today and didn't take much to bark but any whomphing during our tour was at a minimal.

Avalanche

None seen.