January 6
Solitude-South Monitor-Will's Hill-Beartrap-West Desolation-Spruces
Elevations, slope angles and aspects
7500-10200', angles approaching 40°, all aspects.
Snow conditions
Close to a hefty bag day.
Rain-snow line was about 7000' early in the day with an inch of dense snow above that elevation. By late afternoon, about 4" was the total.
Word on the street was "buttery".
Avalanche activity
Been wanting to get over to West Desolation ridge because I knew an earlier slide during the December 12-13 cycle had occurred.
Hit the jackpot.
Ski cut on a north facing slope at about 9700'.
Wind drifted, collapse failure, facets under a fragile old bed surface crust.
100' wide, running 7-800 vertical feet. 2-18" deep
Weather
Light snowfall all day. Moderate temperatures. Winds from the wnw, gusting over 30mph.
Snow pit
Evaluation
She's a little loose, today. Wear your helmut!
As before, instability would be from wind drifting on the wide variety of old snow layering.
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