January 18
Box Elder
Elevations, slope angles and aspects
5000-10k, angles over 35°, all aspects but south facing
Snow conditions
Spring conditions at low elevations with a packed trail. Small grained surface hoar was found in open mid elevation meadows, suffering from radiation recrystalization, hampering feather development. Upper elevation snow was windswept on all aspects, a mixed bag of stiff settled old snow and crusts of variable thickness. Off aspects had melt freeze crusts which softened with warming.
Avalanche activity
The mid and upper elevation east facing experienced several avalanche cycles during the late December-early January period, encompassing most if not all terrain. The last in the series appeared to be the shotgun or north chutes.
Timing of the slide unknown but, appeared to be after the infamous "Merry Christmas" cycle,
with very little snow on the bed surface.The slide ran to ground
leaving a bed surface with only an inch or two of faceted snow or boiler plate. The older slide paths on upper elevation east facing had a few more inches on bed surfaces, all faceted to some degree.
Evaluation
Currently stable snow, with isolated pockets of wind drifted snow resting on hard crust or facets. Wet activity possible, with daytime heating. Future instability would be dependent on snow amount and wind, neither currently forecast. Because of the extent of avalanching, hard bed surfaces and facets, another slide cycle is likely with significant loading.
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