Vail & Summit County
SnowpackAndrew McWilliams · Jan 23, 2024 · Vail & Summit County
Weather
Broken skies and temperatures in the high teens and low twenties. Winds were light from the south and southeast.
Snowpack
The snowpack was supportable to ski travel, but boot penetration was to the ground at lower elevations. I did not observe any cracking or collapsing during my travels. Snow height was over 100cm at lower elevations and the slab thickness ranged from 50cm to 100cm. Snowpit tests showed propagating results after taps from the wrist in Extended Column Tests and Propagation Saw Tests had failed to end after cut lengths between 25 and 60cm in a 100cm block. I did not observe any avalanches that ran within the last four days, but I did notice multiple slides that likely ran naturally during the storm cycle on steep northerly and easterly slopes just below the ridgeline. While obvious signs of instability are decreasing, the pit results in this area continue to make me suspect of steep slopes. There was surface hoar development noted near and below treeline and the lack of sun and wind likely left those grains intact for the time being.