Vail & Summit County
AvalancheEthan Davis · Jan 23, 2015 · Vail & Summit County
Weather
Sunny patches popping out between clouds. Strangely calm for the Continental Divide. Sun was very warm, and even though it was only out for short periods of time roller balls were forming in moist surface snow on southern aspects.
Snowpack
Alpine: Most exposed areas are only covered by (1/20) new snow. Mix of stiff slabs, soft fresh and dirt. Near Treeline: Southern aspects have a pronounced melt-freeze crust beneath recent snow. This crust is faceted and not supportive on most slopes. More northerly aspects do not have the crust, but do have a surface hoar layer under the recent snow. Weak surface snow in our locations meant no propagation of fractures in tests. This result would be much different in more wind affected areas or when the overlying slab gains cohesion. See pit profiles for more details.
Avalanche
No new avalanche activity.