Azu Bowl

Snowpack

Matt Stelmaschuk · Dec 6, 2020 · Pine Pass

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Quick report

Weather
stormy, windy, cloudy
Ride Type
openTrees
Stayed Away
steepSlopes, convexSlopes
Riding Quality
good
Snow Conditions
hard, powder
Avalanche Conditions
avalancheConditionSnow

Fast, firm riding in Azu Bowl with minimal ski pen on dry snow. Wind gusting strong all day with snow beginning in PM at 1cm per hour. Snow turned to rain at 1100m on descent to base area. No new or recent avalanches observed throughout Azu Bowl.

Snowpack

Depth
210
Site Aspect
SE, E
Test Fracture
resistant
Site Elevation
1400
Ski Penetration
5
Test Initiation
hard
Test Failure Depth
55
Site Elevation Band
tln, btl
Surface Conditions
newSnow

Hard compression test results down 55cm on wind slab interface, resistant planar character. November melt-freeze crust down 155cm in this location and unreactive in tests. Here the crust is weak yet well-bridged by a stiff upper snowpack. I would be concerned about it in shallow, open areas of variable snowpack depth at the higher elevations.