December 23
Yellow Jacket, Alexander Basin, Wilson Fork
Elevations, slope angles and aspects
6400-10000', angles over 35°, north facing aspects
Snow conditions
There was an inch or so of new snow at the beginning of the day. Add another inch during.
Snow was moderate density, providing some cushioning from old snow surfaces.
Bonding was poor with sluffing common on slopes approaching 40°. Sluffs were incorporating old snow surface layering, packing a bit of punch.
Wind from the east, at some point, had created shallow drifts along the upper elevation ridges.
Isolated collapsing was felt in valley bottoms and shallow snow covered areas.
Weather
Overcast and foggy skies, cool temperatures. Winds from the west, only along the ridges, gusting to around 15 mph.
Evaluation
Slope choices were all on previously avalanched terrain. Winds continue adding complexity with, surface-near surface faceting an additional player.
Would expect continued localized instabilities from continued wind.
In addition,
"the wild card: overloading buried weak layers which haven't avalanched and bed surfaces from the mid December slide cycle on slopes that did."
remains.
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