October 28
Area:
Millcreek
Location:
Bowman trail followed to the ridge, to sumit of Gobblers. Descent of the Cabin run and pole canyon to Bowman trail junctioon.
Elevations, slope angles and aspects:
6000-10'000'+. Angles to over 35°. Northerly aspects, with a bit of south thrown in on the Gobbler's ridge.
No avalanche activity was observed.
Snow conditions:
Patchy snow found below about 9000'. Above that elevation, on the shady side, amounts varied from a foot or less, where some sun hits the slope to over 20" where drifted.
There was a bit of hoar frost.
Found on a leaf around 8500', Bowman trail
However, dry air limited the formation. More common was the repeated daytime heating-night cooling, which is faceting near surface snow.
Nuggets going through faceting when cool and mf when warm. Found near the frosted leaf.
Spatial variability has that feature, both on the surface and under up to an inch of melt freeze crust.
Weather:
Warm and sunny, with little wind. The inversion has warmer temperatures at upper elevations and a smoke line approaching 9000'.
Gobbler's snow pit:
Evaluation:
Upper elevation shady aspects are undergoing a slow rot, at present, limited to the upper foot or so of snow although areas scoured by wind and in the shade have more pronounced faceting. Instabilities would be limited to some scattered, stubborn wind drifts at the highest elevations.
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