December 2
Area:
White Pine
Location:
White Pine to Red Baldy and reverse.
Elevation, slope angles and aspects:
7500’ to just over 11’000’. Angles over 35°. Aspects all northerly.
Avalanche activity:
Possible old slide on Long John Silver, west facing, south end of the tri chute massif. Crown appeared visible, but winds had eroded to the point that it is a possible un confirmed. Shallow crown.
Slopes skied:
Red Baldy northwest facing from near the upper ridge summit.
Snow surface and conditions:
3” new snow over a mostly styrofoam base layer. Occasionally found an old hard crust under the recent snow totaling up to about 18” including the 3”. There were some shallow drifts at the upper elevation on Red Baldy. Investigation indicated they were locked in place. The snow on Red Baldy was also wind compacted in exposed terrain under the 3”.
Weather:
Bluebird, light wind and cold temperatures. Some mid elevation clouds drifting through at times.
Snow pit:
10’800’ northwest facing shoulder of Red Baldy.
Total snow: 50”
New and settled: 18”
Found dry snow from top to bottom. Moderate shear Q2 at the interface of the settled and a recrystalized graupel layer, which was about 2” thick. This resulted in me thinking the pit was in a bad location with an area of old graupel pooling in that location.
Evaluation:
No indications of instability. I suppose a determined person could stumble onto something capable of producing an avalanche, but in this area, it’s gonna likely take a significant load before activity is seen.
December 3
Area:
LCC and BCC
Location:
Alta to Cardiff Fork to Mineral Fork to the highway.
Elevations, slope angles, slope aspects:
7’000’ to 10’900’, angles to 40°+, all aspects.
Avalanche activity:
Surface sluffing on slopes approaching 40°. Were not moving very far. Would expect and increase in depth and distance.
Slopes skied:
Keyhole into Cardiff, Cardiac pass to flats in Mill B South, upper Mineral and Santiago’s, and Marietta.
Snow surface and conditions:
Variable depending on aspect and elevation. South facing was settled to an inch or two. A foot of recrystalized on the shady aspects. Southwest facing upper Mill B South had a total of 12”, from repeated scouring. A wind drift here and there, shallow and welded.
Weather:
Bluebird, cool temps on the shady slopes and moderate in the sun.
Snow pit:
Snow pit
Zoomed photo of recent snow-hard crust interface.
Evaluation:
Snow is stable. No indications anywhere or otherwise. Surface faceting is starting to produce sluffs on steep shady aspects. I’d expect an increase in depth and running distance with continued cool and clear weather.
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