March 16
Upper BCC north side
Elevations, slope angles and aspects:
7000-10000', angles over 35°, all aspects.
Avalanche activity:
Limited to sensitive cornice loading along the ridges
from breezy north winds.
Slopes skied:
Will's hill, west Willow ridge, Beartrap, west Desolation ridge and Reynolds peak into Mill D north.
Snow conditions:
6-8" of new light density snow over a variable recent storm snow base. Off aspects and south facing had a spongy crust under the new snow. Shady and sheltered north facing retained soft snow. Northerly winds were loading and cross loading lee aspects, with shallow, but sensitive drifting along the ridges. Intermittent sun produced mashed potatoes on exposed aspects. By late afternoon east aspects were a little crunchy from warming.
Weather:
Overcast to partly cloudy. Scattered instability showers added little new accumulation. Winds from the north-northeast gusting into the 20+ mph range along the ridges. Mild temperatures out of the wind and in the sun.
Evaluation:
The last storm snow settled nicely. Winds were loading new light density snow onto lee aspects. Instabilities would be from that loading, continued wind and from daytime heating of exposed aspects.
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