Steamboat & Flat Tops
AvalancheKreston Rohrig · Jan 13, 2019 · Steamboat & Flat Tops
Weather
Beautiful day with chilly inversion in the valley. Sunny and warm up high with barely a whisper of wind.
Snowpack
We dug in multiple locations with varying results depending on aspect and elevation. The first quick pit was on a south facing slope at 9200'. Weak throughout with 3 distinct melt/freeze crusts layered between thick layers of soft facets. 85cm total depth. The next two pits were around 10500', the first on a ESE and the other north. Both locations showed significant previous wind-loading or wind-transported snow. ENE profile is attached in photos. Both pits showed strong layers of 1F to Pencil hard slabs with a few layers of rective PWLs. ENE was 140 deep and had two layers of thin facets at 110cm and 80cm. The lower layer produced 1 propagating ECT at 21 and an ECTX. ECTN x 2 on the upper facet layer. This shows the snowpack is gaining strength, but lurking slab/weak layer combos could produce a large avalanche. N facing slope was similar but deeper and PWLs were buried surface hoar 45 cm down on a 165cm deep snowpack. ECTP 22. Also large facets and depth hoar in the bottom 20-30cm
Avalanche
We could see one from a far over on Sand Mountain. Looks like a cornice fall entraining some surface snow. Estimated 1/11/19