Steamboat & Flat Tops
AvalancheDan Edmiston ยท Jan 3, 2016
Weather
Sunny and warm (40 degrees when leaving the pass, 15 degrees when back in town), 8800ft, North facing skiing with south facing exit
Snowpack
No pits dug, south facing slopes were getting pretty sloppy mid-day due to above freezing temps and intense solar gain. Not quite sloppy enough for skin wax, but heading that way quickly. Trees on north facing slopes were sloughing snow regularly as the sun warmed the upper branches and dropped off. North facing slopes were still dry but tree bombs were chunking up the snow surface pretty well.
Avalanche
Pinwheels and roller balls prevalent on steep road cuts that faced south, many dry point releases visible on road cuts that faced west and hadn't gotten sun yet.