December 23

Area:
Dry Creek, Box Elder

Location:
Alpine to the north chutes on Box Elder

Elevation, slope angles and aspects:
5’000-10200, angles to 40°, east west and northeast.

Avalanche activity:
Old slide east facing off the lower Box Elder ridge into the Tibble fork drainage, Suface sluffing on 40°+. No other activity

Slopes skied:
Skier’s right north chute and west facing on the return to Alpine.

Snow surface and conditions:

There was an inch or two of new snow beginning at Alpine over a base of several inches. Up higher the recent snow total was 6-8, with all but the most recent recrystalizing. There was also surface hoar at the mid and lower elevations.

Hoar frost

surrface hoar frost on a branch

Rimed hoar frost

hoar frost cluster

Winds were blowing from the west at 10+ mph along the ridge and were moving a little snow. I found wind drifting only an inch or two deep along the tops of the ridges.

Weather:
Mid elevation clouds and smog below. The upper elevations were partly cloudy with mild temperatures.

Snow pit:

A couple done. I found snow of about 3’ near the top of the north chutes. At the ridge that snow dwindled to less than a foot and below it was 2’ about the same as I found ascending the north facing ridge at 9k. Pole probing indicated 2’ was the representative total.

Evaluation:
Faceted snow = stable snow. Surface sluffing was the only instability. Continued winds may produce enough drifting on easterly facing aspects to create a shallow but sensitive wind drift or two, especially at upper elevations. Significant snowfall would likely result in widespread avalanching on faceted snow layering.

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