CAIC Observation Report
SnowpackOlivia Leviton, Maggie Kougl, Lane Meyers · Feb 21, 2026 · Snowy Range
Weather
Beautiful clear and cold night in the snowies. air temp (F): 0; cloud cover: clear; wind loading: intense; recent snowfall (cm): O; snow avail for transport: small smounts
Snowpack
We dug our pit on a SW facing slope at 10,560' in a heavily wind loaded area. The snowpack/pit depth was 120-130cm deep. A very thick (78cm) wind slab was sitting on the Christmas crust (xmas crust) with sugary facets from 80cm deep to ground level. Our results were ECTP21@78cm failing underneath the xmas crust. Our PST120/120arr had no significant results on the sugar below xmas crust. We performed another ECTN because we were not convinced with our first results. Upon shear test the entire colum failed at ground level. I believe the xmas crust is acting as a bridge protecting the weak snow below it making a wind slab hard to trigger, but possible and with the potential to be very large.