Fraser Ridge
SnowpackEirik Sharp ACMG · Dec 2, 2016 · White Pass West
Quick report
- Weather
- warm, stormy
- Ride Type
- openTrees, mellowSlopes
- Riding Quality
- ok
- Snow Conditions
- deepPowder
- Avalanche Conditions
- avalancheConditionSnow
Deep snow and no base made trail breaking and downhill travel difficult.
Snowpack
- Depth
- 90
- Obs Type
- point
- Site Aspect
- N
- Site Elevation
- 11
- Ski Penetration
- 50
- Test Initiation
- moderate
- Foot Penetration
- 80
- Test Failure Depth
- 60
- Site Elevation Band
- tln
- Surface Conditions
- newSnow, variable
- Test Failure Layer Crystal Types
- facets
60 cm of low density storm snow sits above a layer of facets. Hand shears and compression test results identified this as a layer of concern. A thick crust can be formed down 70cm. We performed a rutcsh block test and got a score of 6 on the storm snow/facet interface (failure upon stepping down to the middle of the block). This failure was fast and energetic and I suspect that as the storm snow gains slab properties (through settlement or increased load) this layer of facets could become more reactive. As the day progressed we began to see shooting cracks on unsupported features, a good signs that the storm snow was gaining slab properties.