23-24

Wind loaded gully above Crypt Orchid in Hyalite. Photo: T Hughes

Pockets of wind loaded snow throughout the gully. Slab thickness varied. It was steep enough to slide but was anchored well by trees and willows. The hasty test seemed that the slab failed on facets just below the recent storm snow. 

Toured into Bacon Rind today. Winds were calm and trace amounts of snow fell through the day. Near the top of the Skillet we found 5" of new snow (0.5" SWE) sitting over large feathery surface hoar and in stability tests, we had very poor scores on this layer, ECTP2. The entire snowpack however is very weak, with soft faceted snow to the ground. Even with skis on we would sink to the bottom of the snowpack in many areas. This area did not get very much snow or wind compared to the rest of the S. Madison region lacking enough of slab to cause widespread signs of instability. At higher elevations, there would likely be enough of a slab to increase concerns as winds were stronger and recent snow totals are greater. 

We then dug on a east-facing slope to the north of the Beehive/Bear cornices and found 105 cm of snow and a 1 foot deep slab that broke in our test as an ECTP3. Low test scores, recent avalanche activity and cracking and collapsing was evidence of the snowpack's instability. Photo: GNFAC

We toured up Tyler's Slope and dug at 9,200' on an west-facing slope. There was a 6" slab of snow sitting on fist hardness facets that propagated in our tests (ECTPV x2). Approaching the pit site we has some collapsing and shooting cracks. Photo: GNFAC

Cornices on the ridge had all broken and pulled out the wind-loaded pockets with one slope sliding 100' distance. These likely occurred last night (1/09/24). Photo: GNFAC

We toured up Tyler's Slope and dug at 9,200' on an west-facing slope. There was a 6" slab of snow sitting on fist hardness facets that propagated in our tests (ECTPV x2). Approaching the pit site we has some collapsing and shooting cracks. Continuing upslope we saw the cornices on the ridge had all broken and pulled out the wind-loaded pockets with one slope sliding 100' distance. These likely occurred last night.

We then dug on a east-facing slope to the north of the cornices and found 105 cm of snow and a 1 foot deep slab that broke in our test as an ECTP3. Low test scores, recent avalanche activity and cracking and collapsing was evidence of the snowpack's instability.