Vail & Summit County
SnowpackDale Atkins · Jan 2, 2013 · Vail & Summit County
Weather
Partly cloudy, winds very light and variable, cold.
Snowpack
Shallow, ranging from about 40-50cm with significant structural weakness:
bottom third: DH (Fist)
middle third: early FC (4F+)
top third: new/recent PP/DF (Fist)
Ski penetration: ~10cm
Foot penetration: to ground
* Below ~9500' snow well tracked/disturbed.
* From 9500 to 10700' few or no tracks: numerous loud and rumbling collapses with shooting cracks in meadows and scree areas from flat to 20deg slopes. Collapses produced while on trail or moving off 10-20 feet to side of trail.
* Collapses and shooting cracks generally extended 100'+. Two collapse areas about the size of a basketball court.
The collapses and cracking were impressive but not surprising. Just about all "open" areas produced whumpfs and cracking. Aspects were generally SE. The surprise was that in three spots where I thought I could produce a collapsing and very small soft slabs I got nothing. This was along the steep sides of the stream banks (30-35deg), In two spots there was obvious terrain/ground cover that likely broke up any slab, but in one spot I was sure I would get something. Stomped and jumped and jumped and stomped but nothing.
We saw a lot of country but it was all basically the same aspect: SE. While we did have impressive collapses on slopes up to 20deg in steepness we never got on or directly below anything steeper. Seems we're in the transition from CONS to MOD as settlement occurs; however, strong TG dominates and facets are growing. On these aspects, yesterday, the danger on steeper slopes was still CONS but some warming will help ease this danger, at least temporarily. The bottom line: touchy!
bottom third: DH (Fist)
middle third: early FC (4F+)
top third: new/recent PP/DF (Fist)
Ski penetration: ~10cm
Foot penetration: to ground
* Below ~9500' snow well tracked/disturbed.
* From 9500 to 10700' few or no tracks: numerous loud and rumbling collapses with shooting cracks in meadows and scree areas from flat to 20deg slopes. Collapses produced while on trail or moving off 10-20 feet to side of trail.
* Collapses and shooting cracks generally extended 100'+. Two collapse areas about the size of a basketball court.
The collapses and cracking were impressive but not surprising. Just about all "open" areas produced whumpfs and cracking. Aspects were generally SE. The surprise was that in three spots where I thought I could produce a collapsing and very small soft slabs I got nothing. This was along the steep sides of the stream banks (30-35deg), In two spots there was obvious terrain/ground cover that likely broke up any slab, but in one spot I was sure I would get something. Stomped and jumped and jumped and stomped but nothing.
We saw a lot of country but it was all basically the same aspect: SE. While we did have impressive collapses on slopes up to 20deg in steepness we never got on or directly below anything steeper. Seems we're in the transition from CONS to MOD as settlement occurs; however, strong TG dominates and facets are growing. On these aspects, yesterday, the danger on steeper slopes was still CONS but some warming will help ease this danger, at least temporarily. The bottom line: touchy!