Vail & Summit County
SnowpackAndrew McWilliams · Jan 12, 2023 · Vail & Summit County
Weather
Few clouds, ample sunshine, and light to moderate winds from the west made for a pleasant morning in the mountains.
Snowpack
Supportable travel on the way up when I ventured off of the skin track. Snow height below treeline was about 80-100cm on a southeast aspect near where I dug my first pit. A quick probe of the snow height on a northeast aspect near my first pit was 100-120cm. Snow height increased as I ascended to 125-150cm (175cm in a drifted area) on an east aspect near treeline where I dug my second pit. The effect of the wind was obvious in above treeline areas; there was a textured snow surface and bulbous drifts of new snow in leeward areas. I didn't observe any cracking or collapsing and the only avalanche activity I could see were some small sluffs in the new storm snow out of steep, cliffy areas. Overall the snow was not overly wind-affected at the surface and it made for great skiing. Pit results support a snowpack that is becoming more stubborn to trigger, but harbors deeply buried weak layers that lay in waiting for the right trigger.