Steamboat & Flat Tops
Avalanchejohn morrone · Jan 27, 2017 · Vail & Summit County
Weather
calm, mostly sunny, cold (3F-10F) at area
Snowpack
20-30cm fist pow over 20-30 cm 4F-1F, underlaid with significant SH in many locations, pencil (M-F?) hard thick layer underlying in most locations. ski pen = boot top, boot pen = 40-50 cm some new small surface hoar seen on N slopes
Avalanche
generally stable condition at <32 degrees slopes, but many steep unsupported rolls at and approaching 40 degrees (or more) were easily skier and remotely triggered as soft slabs running on the SH layer. the firmer layer above the SH could transmit shooting cracks 100+ feet. smaller supported rolls fractured but did not move. all were D0.5-1, R near max for those small slopes. N-NE open slopes most susceptible, many W slopes appeared to lack the SH layer and were much less reactive. several entertaining ski cuts and "stomped" areas gave good results on these unsupported areas near the "loop tour" ditch near 8200' elevation