Steamboat & Flat Tops
SnowpackBrian Gardel · Jan 8, 2024 · Steamboat & Flat Tops
Weather
Temps were in the upper single digits. Winds were calm in the AM, with light winds out of the NW in the PM. Skies ranged from broken to overcast to obscured. Average precip was S1, at times trace and S2.
Snowpack
At upper elevation the snowpack is thin and wind affects. On a northwest aspect at 10700ft and a northeast aspect at 10600ft, we found snow depths ranging from 45 to 120cm of mostly faceted snow. Extended column tests on the northeast at 10600ft had propagating results at 35cm down within facets (ECTP21), and again within the basal layer (ECTP30) in a mix of depth hoar/facets. On a south aspect at 10600ft, we noted two stout melt-freeze crusts with a very soft facet layer sandwiched between the crusts. Here we got ECTP13 at 40cm down on the facet layer.