March 9
White Pine to Box Elder
Elevations, slope angles and aspects:
7000-10500', angles over 35°, all aspects
Avalanche activity:
Natural activity was limited to shallow point release sluffs on sun exposed from warming.
Ski cutting initiated a small slide
on a south facing breakover in Dry Creek, backside of the Pfeifferhorn.
Slopes skied:
South facing Dry Creek, Shotgun chute north facing Box Elder and shoulder of Red Pine Lake peak back to White Pine parking.
Snow conditions:
There was 2-4" of new snow, elevation dependent, over a mostly crusted old surface. The new snow was dense, quickly heating, with warming on sun exposed. Winds from the west drifted the new in exposed terrain. Shotgun chutes had drifts on the west side over lighter density snow over crust. Avoided by staying on the east side. Sheltered terrain down off the ridges, was lacking the crust, with settled old snow under the new. Upper elevations exposed to repeated wind and sun had widespread crusting and marginal bonding of new to old. Ski cutting those would produce new snow sluffs.
Weather:
Cool and clear in the morning. Clouds increased and thickened, with decreased visibility later in the day. Winds were light from the west.
Evaluation:
Mostly stable conditions. Sluffing within new snow layering is likely to continue because of marginal bonding on all aspects. A few shallow active wind drifts may also be found at upper elevations.
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