Vail & Summit County

Snowpack

Brian Lazar · Jan 6, 2016 · Vail & Summit County

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Weather

warm, overcast, and dead calm. Light snow S-1 started just as we were leaving the filed around 3:30pm.

Snowpack

Very weak snowpack below treeline. Mid-pack "slab" is 4F, supportable on skis, with boot pen to the ground. Only explored NE aspects btl. Mid-pack too weak to produce any results in ECTs (slab just breaks and falls apart), but PSTs do produce results, as has been common in areas with very weak soft mid-packs this season. PST failed 43/100 to end on depth. Suggests human-triggered slabs are possible in areas where stiffer slabs exist. These areas are isolated below treeline and only in the most-exposed wind-affected terrain.