January 24
Bowman trail, Yellow Jacket, Toots to Boot, Wilson glade, Bonus bowl, Milcreek
Elevations, slope angles and aspects
6400-10k, angles over 35°, north, east and west facing aspects.
Snow conditions
4-8" new snow + an inch or two during the day. The fresh is sitting on a variale old surface, a lot of it crusted from pre frontal wind from the south.
There were several density changes within the new and recent snow, some active, others not so much.
Totals from the last storms are 12-18".
Weather
Overcast to foggy skies, light snow all day. Wind was light off the ridge, gusting to around 15mph at 10k from a westerly diection.
Avalanche activity
Recent avalanche on Toots to Boot. New snow only.
There may have been an additional older slide from January 20th period since debris in the lower apron had covered most of the brush.
No recent activity in the glade.
Ski cutting Bonus bowl produced a new snow slide, depth up to a foot. There were also several slightly older pockets from storm snow.
Of interest, density changes during the storm are easily viewed in the photo.
Evaluation
Active instability within new snow layering.
Would expect settlement to stabilize.
Isolated potential for slides breaking into older recrystallized layering.
Would expect future instability to be from suggested warming temperatures + any period of wind.
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