January 12

Silver, Days, Cardiff and Mineral

Elevations, slope angles and aspects:

7000-10400', angles approaching 40°, all aspects.

Avalanche activity:

There was variable bonding of the few inches of lighter density snow to the higher density snow, wind affected during the storm.Ski cut a sluff into Hideaway park

hideaway sluff

on entry. Noticed a small pocket had pulled out, 4" deep, about 20' wide, while skiing into

holy toledo crown

Holy Toledo. Produced another ski cut sluff at the break over in the east Mineral chute. No other activity was noted and snow bonded well to lower angled slopes.

Slopes skied:

East bowl of Silver, West bowl of Silver, Hideaway Park, Holy Toledo and the east Mineral chute.

Snow conditions:

There was about 14" of new snow. A nasty, but variable high density layer was concealed under a few inches of lighter density. Most common in wind affected terrain, both up near the ridges and down on slopes. It was settling as the day progressed, not as noticeable in the late afternoon. Day time heating may have been enough to crust some of the most heated south facing. Did not notice wet activity.

Weather:

It was a bluebird. Light winds along the ridges, moderate temperatures, warming as the day progressed.

Evaluation:

Saw very little natural activity, mostly new snow sluffing. Ski cuts initiated a few more and several shallow soft slabs. Snow is mostly stable, with instabilities only within new snow layering. Those should settle quickly leaving isolated potential.

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