Rowe Shoulder

Quick report

Weather

sunny

Ride Type

mellowSlopes, openTrees

Stayed Away

convexSlopes

Riding Quality

good

Snow Conditions

powder, windAffected

Pit day! We dug on Rowe shoulder at 2010 m where the Rowe bowl cornice ends, adjacent to a size 2 slide 1m deep that failed on the Feb 3 melt-freeze crust. Unfortunately, we had to dig on a different aspect and got no test results on that layer. We got progressive collapse results on a variable depth (0.5-5cm) graupel layer down 15cm, and a deep tap test targeting the Feb 3 layer failed on facets and depth hoar near the base of the snowpack. The old slide had ~30cm of soft wind-blown snow on the bed surface.

Weather

Wind Speed

windSpeedModerate

Blowing Snow

light

Sky Condition

fewClouds

Wind Direction

S

Precipitation Type

none

Snowpack

Depth

215

Obs Type

point

Site Aspect

E

Test Fracture

resistant

Site Elevation

2010

Ski Penetration

20

Test Initiation

hard

Foot Penetration

35

Test Failure Depth

15

Site Elevation Band

tln

Surface Conditions

variable

Test Failure Layer Crystal Types

facets

In this location, stubborn wind slab to 20cm deep sits on top of a graupel layer. The snowpack below this is rounding above a thin layer of facets atop the Feb 3 crust. Then facets, layered melt freeze crusts, and some depth hoar. Moderate compression test results (progressive collapse) down 15 on a variable depth graupel layer. A deep tap test targeting the Feb 3 melt-freeze crust failed in the hard range on facets and depth hoar just above the ground between two of the early season melt-freeze crusts.