Steamboat & Flat Tops

Snowpack

Pit dug at ~8700' on North facing slope with slope angle of 27 degrees. HS100cm. Ice layer visible at 27cm from ground but more subtle than found in other parts of the zone, otherwise good transition of firmness moving up through the snowpack but with the bottom 10cm transitioning to basal facets. 3 successive CT's yielded no results. Successive shovel shears on CT columns sheared at the ground where there was a smooth ice interface. CT was also done removing upper column until ~15cm above icelayer: CT28 failed at ground. Other pits dug in the last week on SW facing slopes (~30degrees) in the same zone at ~10,200 (HS155cm) also demonstrated a general cohesive snowpack with failures on the christmas storm layer that came in with high winds (scored one CT12 on this layer which was barley forming slab characteristics last weekend). The ice layer itself was absent at this elevation but there was a definitive layer with a grain type/size and firmness transition. This gets more subtle and less pronounced as elevation is gained. Guard still up because as the current report indicates low likelihood high consequence persistent slabs are the main concern. Continual assessment as elevation and aspects change and conservative route and line selection is the name of the game in this still early season snowpack.