Steamboat & Flat Tops

Snowpack

Jason Konigsberg & Nick Barlow · Feb 27, 2018 · Steamboat & Flat Tops

Weather

Pleasant day in the Flat Tops. A few passing cirrus during the afternoon, but otherwise clear skies. Calm winds, with the occasional light gust out of the west. Lower elevations near the trail head likely warmed just above freezing today, with visible sheen/melt-freeze crust observed on solar aspects.

Snowpack

In general the snowpack in this area is fairly strong and not as weak and shallow as previously thought. The depth hoar is not very large and on most slopes this basal layer is thinner and harder than the adjacent Aspen zone. The slab over top is a little less than a meter thick and is progressively harder from top to bottom (up to pencil-hardness). Although the snowpack is strong, the depth of the snowpack (HS) is still only 120 cms. A large load or a trigger in the "right" spot can result in an avalanche breaking at the ground. At the present time, this is an unlikely scenario on non-wind-loaded slopes.---Exposed easterly slopes at 11k ft such as Blair Mountain were continuing to receive wind-drifted snow. Recent small crowns were obvious from Wind Slab avalanches. It wasn't safe to get too close to the looming cornice, so previous avalanche activity was not observed.