Spring Fling

Quick report

Weather

sunny, warm, wet, windy

Ride Type

convexSlopes, cutBlocks, denseTrees, mellowSlopes, openTrees, sunnySlopes

Stayed Away

alpineSlopes, steepSlopes

Riding Quality

amazing

Snow Conditions

crusty, deepPowder, heavy, powder, wet

Avalanche Conditions

avalancheConditionSnow, avalancheConditionTemp

The snow was less affected by the warm temperatures from the previous week than expected. There was pinwheeling on steep southern slopes that increased throughout the day with few small point-release, wet-loose slides. The sleds would push large amounts of wet storm snow on mellow southern slopes. A 2cm crust was forming on the surface in isolated SE aspects that gathered in front of the sleds. Lots of terrain covered and test slopes performed with no cracks or slabs observed. Including witnessing another group of four climb a 35-45 degree avy path from 2000-2200m. Moderate NW wind transfer observed at ridge top. Dug in the snow @1850m on a North aspect at the top of a cut block to observe sudden results in a compression test down 70cm on the persistent weak layer with well preserved stellar flakes and surface hoar up to 3mm. Partial fracture on an extended column test but no propagation. Melt freeze crust is down 80cm. A hasty probe observation indicated 70cm of facets at the base of the snowpack sitting on 10cm of firmer snow.

Weather

Avg Temp

-2

Max Temp

-1

Min Temp

-6

Wind Speed

windSpeedLight

Blowing Snow

moderate

Sky Condition

fewClouds

Wind Direction

NW

Temperature Trend

falling

Precipitation Type

none

Snowpack

Depth

180

Obs Type

point

Site Aspect

N

Test Fracture

sudden

Site Elevation

1850

Test Initiation

veryEasy

Foot Penetration

55

Test Failure Depth

70

Site Elevation Band

tln

Surface Conditions

variable

Test Failure Layer Crystal Types

crust, stormSnow, surfaceHoar

CTE1 CTE12 ECTN