Vail & Summit County

Snowpack

This observation is in support of avalanche forecasting for the Tenmile Canyon bike path.---The snowpack on south to west facing slopes was very supportable this morning. Slide for life danger was greater than avalanche danger. In the early afternoon the top 1-2 inches of snow softened with firm crusts underneath. There is only a couple inches of wet snow on top of the dust crust. In steep terrain we were able to push new snow and get it to "sheet" off the crust, but any resulting slides were harmless and carried little mass.---The snowpack structure on southerly slopes near to above treeline is mostly consolidated with moist snow that has previously seen melt water. Although there is evidence of faceted grains still holding their shape in the lower snowpack, these grains are moist. It would take continued warm temperatures and a few above-freezing nights at 12k feet for us to see any deeper wet avalanches on south slopes near to above treeline.---No rollerballs or any other signs of wet instability today.