Vail & Summit County
SnowpackJason Konigsberg · Jan 28, 2017 · Vail & Summit County
Weather
No wind loading evident from looking at higher peaks. No wind BTL. Skies were mostly clear in the morning with some high cloud moving in by noon.
Snowpack
Recent avalanches, collapsing, propagation in tests, and a dangerous PWL buried 2 feet deep. These observations were from north and east aspects near treeline and is all the info we need to know that we have a problem. In four snowpits (one near the crown of a recent avalanche), surface hoar was easily identifiable and produced propagating results in tests. Any open meadow or slope on west through north to east aspects is suspect especially in the western part of the zone. Although there may be buried SH in the eastern part of the zone, there is not the 2 ft slab that I have found west of Vail Pass.