Steamboat & Flat Tops

Avalanche

CMC AIARE Lvl 1 ยท Jan 23, 2016

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Weather

Blue-bird day, calm winds, brisk temps at trailhead. Warmed dramatically during the day with temps above freezing at 9600. Snow was getting moist within top 5cms.

Snowpack

Substantial surface hoar growth overnight with 5mm to 3cm sized crystals covering most of the snow that we traveled through. Most surface hoar collapsed by end of day due to warm temps. Snow depth on SE face at 9600ft was 155cms. Snow pit test results as follows.... CTH x2 breaking at crusts 60-70cms below surface with Q1/SP shear quality; ECTP 26 breaking at the same crusts down 60cms from surface; Informal shovel tilt test showed some poor bonding within the storm snow that fell in the last 6 days. Shovel tilt had fairly planar breaks within the new snow.; Several rumbling collapses within about 10m radius of 7 person group

Avalanche

No avalanches observed