Steamboat & Flat Tops
AvalancheDan Edmiston · Jan 8, 2021 · Steamboat & Flat Tops
Weather
8300-9000ft Mid-day tour, southerly aspects getting wet, shaded aspects still cold. Skin wax would have been helpful. Temps above freezing at Dry Lake Snotel. Southerly aspects were getting a zipper crust at the end of the day.
Snowpack
1/7 storm snow was skiing a little heavier than is typical. SWE content is probably higher than normal. Snow pillows were breaking away cleanly on buried surface hoar layer down ~40cms. Snow pit @ 8300ft in the Soda drainage had mostly medium to hard CT results at 20cms, 40cms, and 60cms below the surface. Thin melt/freeze crust at 20cms, buried 5mm surface hoar at 40cms, and basal facet/slab interface at 60cms. Propagating ECT results on the surface hoar (ECTP23) and basal facet layers (ECTP29). ECTN9 on the melt/freeze crust but might see propagation in areas with stiffer slab. Boot penetration was 100% in some spots but mid-pack slab does have some 1 finger dense areas so occasionally I could find support. Not predictable.
Avalanche
None observed