Vail & Summit County
SnowpackRon Simenhois · Feb 9, 2022 · Vail & Summit County
Weather
An increasing cloud cover with mod to strong NW winds. Ineffective wind loading yesterday and today.
Snowpack
In areas where I traveled (NE-E-SE aspect >TL), the snowpack is weak but not reactive near cliffs and rocks. The snowpack in these areas is consisted of mainly 4F to 1F facets under a thin crust layer. I could initiate crack under my skies, but these cracks did not propagate more than 50 cm from the point of initiation, with test results of ECTNs between 12 and 16. An ineffective recent wind loading left the old near-surface facets on the snow surface on open slopes. In gullies, a thin 3 - 6 cm P hard wind-packed slab on top of 4F DF is present at the top of the snowpack. This wind pack slab was not reactive (ECTN7). ECT results deeper in the snowpack on open slopes, and gullies were ECTP28 to ECTX at 40 to 60 cm from the surface.