Vail & Summit County
AvalancheIan Hoyer · Apr 8, 2016 · Vail & Summit County
Weather
Clouded up around noon. Just a thin, high, hazy overcast. Still a bright sky, plenty of solar radiation still getting to the snow surface. Not much wind a tall. Temperatures well above freezing.
Snowpack
Wet snow on all aspects near and above treeline. The slushy surface snow ranged from 3 to 6 inches in depth by 3 pm. Rollerballs were easily initiated in the new snow. Snow surface had undergone a couple of melt-freeze cycles, starting to transition towards corn. Quick pits on NW-S-NE aspects found moist snow to the ground. Got propagation on the top of the moist early season facets, right in the middle of the 120 cm snowpack on a west aspect above treeline. Drainage in the lower facets did not appear to be as well established as higher in the pack. Wet Slabs are becoming more of a concern if temps don't cool off. Persistent Slab concerns seem to be totally done here, but I didn't get on any straight north facing slopes. Wet Slab avalanches are becoming a real concern for tomorrow.
Avalanche
No recent avalanches in the straight creek area.