Steamboat & Flat Tops
AvalancheDan Edmiston · Jan 8, 2023 · Steamboat & Flat Tops
Weather
Day started clear, high clouds moved in and strong west winds were moving lots of snow, blowing it well clear of ridge lines. Skin and ski tracks were filling in within 1hr. No precip, just wind transport. Trees above 9800ft were rhimed with about 4-6 inches of ice.
Snowpack
170 to 180cm snow height on west facing slopes at 10000ft. Mostly a "right-side up" snowpack in the upper 100cms with a few stubborn layers failing in upper 50cms. CTM(RP) x2 down 35cm and CTH(RP) x2 down 50cm on some small near surface facet layers. Found a stout 10cm thick knife hard layer about 100cms down, possible old wind slab. This layer was topped with 5cm layer of decomposing graupel. Below this knife hard layer it went back to some 4 finger hard rounding facets. Ice layers that we've seen all over the zone also exist here. No indication they are sensitive to trigger at this spot though. The mid-pack slab was unexpected and I'll be curious to see how it plays out.
Avalanche
None observed.