23-24

We rode to the bottom of an avalanche on Sheep Mountain that had been triggered by riders from the bottom. This avalanche happened on Monday, 01/14, but by today it had been filled in by recent winds and new snow. From here we worked our way north of Round Lake and found 10"-12" of new snow (0.5" SWE), compared to the 5" of new snow near Sheep Mountain. Near the wilderness boundary, we found unstable snow and while getting a snowmobile unstuck in the flats remotely triggered a small avalanche from 100' away. We then rode to a northern aspect at 9600' and found 170 cm of snow and had poor results in our stability tests, with an ECTP 6 on buried weak layers below the last week and a half of storms. 
 

From here we rode to the top of Henderson Bench and dug on an east-facing slope at 9500'. While walking to our snowpit location we collapsed the slope and a small pocket of snow below a tree avalanched. Here we again had poor stability test results, ECTP 11, this area had previously been wind-loaded during last week's storm. Storm totals here were less than what we found north of Round Lake, with 5" of new snow at 3 pm (0.2" of SWE). 

Wind through the day was calm but is expected to increase tonight. Snow will continue tonight into tomorrow morning. Expect danger to rise as snow totals increase and wind begins transporting snow. 
 

A very small avalanche that was triggered from 100' away while getting a snowmobile unstuck in the flats. Photo: GNFAC

On my tour up the main fork of Hyalite today I noticed two slides near Divide Peak caused by wind loading.  There was a wind skim on all snow surfaces in the Basin and I experiences a bit of collapsing while walking across the basin in the flats on small wind loaded pockets

Riders spotted a small wind slab avalanche that failed naturally last weekend. Z Bailey

We skied a 25 degree west slope today on Woody Ridge.  No sign of instability.  No wumphing or cracking.  No wind effected snow, in forest

5 degrees,at 100pm, light breeze.

HS 110-115 cm

new snow 30 cm. fairly cohesive but not bonded to old-variable

Layer of facets below new snow and above hard layer 60cm deep

Hard layer 10-15cm thick

facets below hard layer

The snowpack depth was variable.  New snow not well bonded to old snow in places

we climbed to 9550 and stopped as terrain got steeper

Coverage was good.  Very good skiing

I might add that several times during the day we commented on the difference in red flags we experienced from Beau's report the day before. We were both S. of Cooke, but differences in that we were in wind-protected forest most of the day, although in meadows above about 9K, more importantly, perhaps is aspect - we were W. and I think from photos, Beau was on an E. aspect. Although we didn't get collapsing or shooting cracks, we all recognized the poor snow structure we were on and we pulled skins when slope angle approached 30 deg.

Average snow depth was only in the 110 cm range and the terrain we were in looked very different from that in a year with a normal snowpack. Sill some snow-snakes and staubs concealed barely below the surface.

From email: "We skied a 25 degree west slope today on Woody Ridge.  No sign of instability.  No wumphing or cracking.  We all recognized the poor snow structure we were on and we pulled skins when the slope angle approached 30 deg. 5 degrees, at 100pm, light breeze.

HS 110-115 cm

new snow 30 cm. fairly cohesive but not bonded to old-variable

Layer of facets below new snow and above hard layer 60cm deep

Hard layer 10-15cm thick

facets below hard layer

The snowpack depth was variable.  New snow not well bonded to old snow in places we climbed to 9550 and stopped as terrain got steeper"