Steamboat & Flat Tops
AvalancheDan Edmiston ยท Dec 25, 2013
Weather
Brisk at the start, near zero degree temps. Calm wind and sunny.
Snowpack
1cm surface hoar growth on top of new storm snow from the last several days. Some evidence of windloading in certain areas with some mean sounding rumbles and woomphs that shook a few trees 10-15m away at the most. Weak layer still appears to be the mid-pack ice crust with small faceted grains just underneath it. When ski tails punched thru the layer on the skin track it was a noticeable failure that propagated 5m on average.
Avalanche
Remote triggered west facing R1-D1 slide just off the road side near The Fingers parking area on 12/24. 50 degree slope, 40cm crown line 7m wide, 15m long triggered from lookers left of slide path. CT in crown wall failed CTM16-SC just below the ice crust within the associated facet layer. Bed surface was 35cms of basal facets/depth hoar. Skier trigger described it as 3 distinct collapses. Adjacent 30 degree slope was skied 12/25 without incident. A natural R1-D1 slide was observed on an NE aspect ~9900ft on a side loaded ridge. Crown line was filled in so failure layer was not evident.