Steamboat & Flat Tops
SnowpackCMC AIARE Lvl 1 · Feb 10, 2019 · Steamboat & Flat Tops
Weather
Clear skies to few clouds at end of tour (3pm). Light to Moderate SW winds, at 10000ft. Light to moderate snow transport seen. Obvious moderate to intense snow transport seen on the Flat Tops as we descended pass. SnoTel temps right at freezing around noon-3pm, no melting of snow surface despite above freezing temps.
Snowpack
Wind slabs found on East, ENE, and North aspects roughly 10-15cm thick. ENE (68*) at 10,000ft we had an ECT fail and propagate down 30cm after 15 hits on an old facet layer. No movement in CTs on NW aspect. North facing pit CTs failed CTMx2 down 35cms also on a facet layer. NE pits failed CTMx2 down 15cm on windslab. South facing slope did not show any results in an ECT. The only strong over weak layering we found was in the upper snowpack due to windslab. Clear moderate to intense wind transport (scouring/etching) on south to ENE aspects.