Steamboat & Flat Tops

Snowpack

Jason Konigsberg · Feb 9, 2018 · Steamboat & Flat Tops

Weather

Scattered skies in the morning with cloud cover increasing to overcast by afternoon. Winds were strong at ridgetop but wind-loading was light to non-existent as winds were too strong for effective transport and there was little snow available to move.

Snowpack

In 30+ miles of travel we did not see any recent avalanches and we did not observe and signs of instability.--Wind slabs exist on easterly slopes but stability tests show they are relatively well bonded to underlying snow surface.---Snowpack structure is similar to other adjacent zones with weak depth hoar and faceted snow comprising the bottom 18 inches of the snowpack with a strong one-finger hard slab on top. In several pits the only propagating result was on a wind-loaded east-facing slope (ECTP23). A northerly below-treeline slope had results of ECTX and PST30/100 END--- Lower elevations saw some rollerballing on very steep slopes this afternoon. No Loose Wet avalanches was observed.---We did not find any evidence of upper or mid-pack weak layers to be concerned with.---The snowpack is very thin with many rocks showing in the Diamond Park area. We did not get off trail to dig in this area, but it is safe to assume northerly slopes are mostly all faceted.