Steamboat & Flat Tops

Snowpack

Joe Messina Brian Gardel ยท Dec 13, 2015

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Weather

Clear and calm at trailhead. Ridgeline winds were considerably higher, blowing snow was visible on summits. HST about 30 cm from last few days but no new snow overnight.

Snowpack

Below treeline, the snowpack was similar to other area within the zone: persistent weak layers deep in the snowpack but no cohesive slab above them. Near and above treeline, the wind had created a slab on leeward slopes. Persistent weak layers exist on all aspects. Unfortunately, the only aspects available to us above treeline were southerly. The take home message from this field trip was that cohesive slabs exist near and above treeline on lee aspects in the Steamboat and Flat Tops zone.