Vail & Summit County
AvalancheScott Toepfer · Jan 22, 2015 · Vail & Summit County
Weather
Fog in valley, gradually building to cumulus and generally overcast skies with some blue sucker holes. Signs of recent light northerly winds scouring the newer snow of north aspect ridge crest.
Snowpack
Climbed up a south aspect. New snow settling out but still around 6 to 8" deep in open areas. North aspects, reactive. Subtle collapse and cracking. Failing on the January rain crust. Wide spread, & subtle, had to be 'feeling it' with your feet
Avalanche
On north aspects in our little area we could pretty much trigger avalanches at will. Surface hoar on thin rain crust quite touchy and reactive. Light, recent, northerly winds had built touchy pillows around terrain features and tree islands. The recent low density snow (~ 14") had scoured out along the ridgeline start zones from the light northerly winds but it had drifted into stiffer slabs around terrain features.