Shangrila to Antler Mountain traverse

Quick report

nbangle · Feb 5, 2023 · Southern Wyoming Range

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Quick report

Weather
warm, windy
Ride Type
alpineSlopes, mellowSlopes, openTrees
Stayed Away
convexSlopes, steepSlopes
Snow Conditions
powder

Weather

Mostly swirling snow , rather than active loading . Wind was strong enough to move around shale rock in alpine

Snowpack

Snow pack at tree line and alpine ranged from 80- 120cm consisting mostly of facets and 10cm of soft snow on top that is settling fast, and zipper crust on steep solar aspects . Travel was mostly supportive at tree line and in the alpine . Still observed some blowing/swirling snow at ridge top but for the most part the fetches in the alpine are quite stripped and sasttuggi forming in places you would expect . Although not overly representative, the snow below 1600m in the trees below antler mountain was isothermal at 1500 when traveling down , with average HS of 45cm.

Avalanche

Evidence of a natural wsl /cornice cycle up to sz.2.5, mostly in alpine Lee, and cross loaded features N-NE aspects. Crowns averaging 20-40 , but deeper crowns observed up to 1m deep in heavily loaded locations

2 photos