Vail & Summit County
AvalancheJason Konigsberg · Mar 3, 2018 · Vail & Summit County
Snowpack
East-facing slopes below treeline had about 2 to 3 inches of moist snow. When I pushed the snow with skis on steep terrain features, I could get very small loose wet avalanches as the moist snow ran on dry faceted snow beneath. East-facing slopes near to above treeline consisted of hard surfaces and sastrugi. North-facing slopes had a very hard wind-compacted surface. It was hard to poke your pole through this hard slab and ski tracks barely left a mark. Hard snow conditions on north slopes extended to just below treeline. The smooth surface would be a concern for bonding of new snow.
Avalanche
Almost no loose wet activity was observed with only 1 avalanche noted in Tenmile Canyon. Good view from the top of Buffalo Mountain and there was no sign of previous avalanche activity wet or dry.