December-20
Willow Heights
Elevations, slope angles and aspects
7800-10k, angles approaching 35°, south and west aspects.
Snow conditions
4-12" of new, light density snow over a variably crusted base.
There was a sensitive density change within the upper few inches.
A number of small avalanches were triggered on that layer, including most of West Monitor bowl, northeast facing.
There were several isolated collapses felt on yesterday's mostly refrozen mank.
Weather
Overcast skies, light snowfall, moderate termperatures and light wind.
Snowpit
Had a look on southeast facing at a little over 9000'
Dense and damp snow from yesterday solidified with cooling. Hard shear, Q3 on layering from about December 12-14.
Evaluation
New snow instabilities should settle quickly.
Didn't get a good handle on deeper layering because someone stole a ski pole.
Weather guessers have another round of snow levels rising so...
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