January 11

Area:

Millcreek

Location:
Porter Alexander Wilson

Elevations, slope angles and aspects:
6300’-9000’. Angles to 45°, northwest, northeast, west and east.

Avalanche activity:
Widespread sluffing of new snow on old wind and sun crusted surfaces, both natural and ski cut.

Slopes skied:
Middle or Depth Hoar bowl off the Cabin run ridge into Alexander Basin. Headwall or Bonus bowl northeast of Wilson Glade into Millcreek.

Snow surface and conditions:
2” new at the trailhead. Instability showers heavy at times produced another 4”-6”. This snow was all light density without change and did not bond well to the old snow surface, sluffing easily. Rhe old surface is a mixed bag of crusts both firm and breakable with some scattered patches of soft snow mixed in, adding variety.

Weather:
Snow all day, heavy at times. Winds were light and from the west. Cooling temperatures.

Evaluation:

Primary concern would be the lack of bonding. With cold temperatures forecast, I’d expect some settlement, but sluffing remains likely. Any increase in wind would quickly blow the light density snow into slabs.

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