March 22
Area:
Mill B south and Broads
Elevations, slope angles and aspects:
6500’-11000’. angles to 45°, all aspects but south.
Avalanche activity:
Recent glide avalanche just north of the Diving Board, coming off the rock massif.
One hundred or so feet wide, running several hundred feet. Another small one,
older, from during the heat wave, next to the first small one, just north of the large glide avalanche above the blue ice.
Two naturals from the storm in the west back bowl of Mill B south.
Some wet activity on the east facing lower shoulder of Dromedary, running yesterday.
Only rollers noted today. One older glide avalanche south of Eeny Meeny from early in the heat wave.
Widespread, although localized around the skis, collapsing was noted on the ascent out of Broads. This was limited to the ridgeline running east of the main gully leading to the back bowls. Crust facet sandwich. Crust formed by the colder temperatures has created a gradient resulting in facets over and under the crust. This crust facet sandwich is apparent on almost all upper elevation shady slopes. It was only collapsing along the ridge.
Slopes skied:
Sidewinder, northeast facing off Dromedary shoulder to Florence lake and "yer crazy", north facing gully off the Tanners ridgeline to Lake Florence and out Mill B South following the shoulder of the large Eeny Meeny slide path.
Snow surface and conditions:
Lowest elevations had a marginal refreeze, which changed to a supportable and well frozen crust above about 8000’. On the descent, the same elevations were unsupportable and following the trail or slide path was required. Upper elevations have 2-4” settled, a little more on the very sheltered northeast facing without wind damage. This snow has dried and faceted, sand boxing on the up, at times. The underlying crust while supportable isn’t very stout and a temperature gradient is faceting the snow on both sides of the crust. See above. Some lingering wind drifting at and near the ridges. Ski cuts indicated it was still glued. More supportable and stouter crust were found below about 9500’ on the shady. Stronger crust on the off aspects also.
Weather:
Bluebird, with mild temperatures. Heat was not oppressive. Winds were light to non existent.
Snow pits:
Hand and pole probing.
Evaluation:
Stable snow, with some isolated potential of continuing glide activity in Broads as long as it warms up during the day. Good refreezes are likely to limit the activity to afternoon. Other slide activity would probably be on sun exposed terrain at upper elevations. Mid and lower elevations have limited potential on all aspects dependent on warming.
Would watch the near surface faceting progress, since a large storm is still forecast.
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