December 12-13

Bowman trail

bowman

Yellow Jacket,

yellow-jacket

Alexander Basin,

toootstoboot

Wilson Fork,

wilson-chute

Millcreek

fillin-in

Elevations, slope angles and aspects

6200'-10k, angles over 35°, shady aspects.

Snow conditions

2-6" total snow at the trailhead increased to 20+" above about 8k.

Lower elevation meadows and areas near water have a little hoar frost developing.

conehoar

Upper elevations had mostly settled powder with scattered wind board near the ridges.

Because of all the wind, there are areas with less than a foot of snow at the ridge.

shallow

A few collapses in the brushy areas.

Best to stay on north facing, west facing is a bushwhack.

Weather

Cool temperatures at lower elevations, warmer with ascent. Winds were light.

Avalanche activity

Silver Bell in main Porter

silver-bell

Middle bowl, Alexander Basin went wall to wall from cornice falls early in the last storm.

middle-ridge

Snow pit

Pretty representative of the area traveled through. Crusts are stouter in some places, less so in others.

yellow-jacket-snow-profile

Evaluation

Good stability on all aspects at all elevations.

Concern wold be from lingering active wind drifting on lee aspects.

The other concern is terrain related. Best to find a track or trail early on the exit in Millcreek.

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