End of February Washington Snowpack

[cmor]

We've finally accumalated 50-70cm of snow on top of the early January Crust. In spots there is a meter+ deep slab.

The last couple of days we've picked up over an inch of water at crystal, and about 40cm(1 foot) of snow:



Despite the fact this came in warm the bond to the crust has not been stellar. Additionally the interface within the new snow during the brief clearing during the night of the 23rd is very sensitive, perhaps a very thin surface hoar layer was layed down. While this new snow interface should settle out, it remains to be seen whether the weakness at the crust persists. I found well defined facets on the top of this crust last week in Rainier National Park.




A shot of the new snow interface releasing in the background, with a deeper result to the crust in the foreground. 2/24





Another result on the early Jan crust. Propagated about 100m across. 2/24





Debris from above result. 2/24



What's everyone else seeing?

Edit: My 666th post in a forum with 666 threads........

[Crystal_Mt_Dreamin]

We were seeing the same slab on Jan crust this weekend at my avy 1 class out near the Stevens Pass area. Definitely facets on top of the crust about ~20cm deep and we were seeing consistent Q2 shears at CTM 13+/-. Saw only one small point release on a similar aspect, no other natural activity seen.

[cmor]

Thanks for the reply Crystal_Mt_Dreamin

2/25

As expected the inter-storm layer interface appears to have settled out but results are still being produced off of the crust. Nonetheless, at Crystal the facets above the crust appear to be rounding and will hopefully decrease in activity with time, despite an increased load being put on it over the week. Fracture profile from one of the slides pictured above is attached below.

Snowpilot makes it a bitch to switch numbering on whether 0 is at the surface or ground after its already entered, so its technically wrong. I don't care

It also made a mess of the output image. I usually really like it for a free program. This time it failed me.:

[Crystal_Mt_Dreamin]

No worries, the class helped tie together a lot of the reading, now I just need to keep talking/reading about it to keep everything fresh in my mind.

[Platinum Pete]

anecdotal: Ski Bowl, around 4500 feet at Mt Hood Oregon , 2/24 - everything peeled. West facing stuff peeled naturally with start zones in the shallowest areas over rocks. Other aspects ripped with bombs and ran heavy. This is only the second time I've seen any avy activity in the area in 6 years of skiing there a lot.

[cmor]

On 2/27 there was a skier release past the Northway Boundary outside of Crystal Mountain. The slide was kicked off only 100-200m outside of Gate A. There were no injuries. It ran on a thick faceted layer between crusts. The skier initiated the slide on the skier right of the fracture line where the slab was thin.














Some other natural activity around the area has been observed as well included this one out near rainier on the sourdough.



Anyone else have shots of activity?

[powndnstein]

thanks for such an excellent post. Was up at Hood for the big snow event the last few days and will be back out in Schneedorf on Mon. which is the high country above white pass ski resort. Looking at the avi report from nwac there was a mention of a skier getting buried near white pass and rescued by his partner. The hiking and skiing had been very good prior to Wed. with stable conditions and good skiing on the north facing steeps. Consolidation of the snow pack on those faces was good but not the greatest, but there were no layers of crust or hoar within. Will ask around when I go up and find out if anyone knows about the slide and where exactly it took place. The resort skiing at Hood was excellent with over four feet of snow falling in three days. Thurs. was over the knees pow and cold champion stuff. Again thanks for your in depth snow pack analysis, well done.

[Phill]

wow.

looks its stable as shit

[cmor]

A bit of wind and small amount of precip made for very sensitive yet isolated slabs today. I would assume they'd settle out by tommorow but watch out for it stepping down.

[PNWbrit]

As ever thanks cmor.

[powndnstein]

skied some steep chutes and NNE facing bowls yesterday above white pass and the stability was very good. 8" of fresh on a settled base that was about a foot deep and then a 1" crust that was morphing onto a deep snow pack that remained consistent as far down as I dug which was about 5'. No slide activity and only slight sluffing on the steeps.