February 23
Upper Milcreek, Little Water,
West Desolation
Elevations, slope angles and aspects
7500'-9700', angles over 35°, all aspects
Snow conditions
There was an inch or so of new very light density snow over the settled base.
The ever present wind drifted the new along with some of the older snow, more so at upper elevations.
The drifting was reactive to cornice kicking and ski cuts.
Day time heating softened south and off aspects but, wet activity was limited.
Weather
Clear skies in the am with increasing clouds in the afternoon. Wind from the south, gusting over 20 mph along the ridges.
Avalanche activity
A large slide in the back bowls of Mill B south was observed, likely running on February 20, during the storm.
Zooming suggests it encompasses most of the area west of the Sundial and east of Dromedary.
I was in the area on February 11, climbing to the ridge above the lakes. At that time ski crampons were required to deal with variable exposed or slightly buried January 16th rain crust.
Also had to remove the skis several times and kick steps through the boilerplate crust.
Continued wind from the last week produced a number of cornice fall slides on Little Water, the most recent, looker's right of the peak.
All slides were within new or recent snow layering, running only to the base of the slope.
Evaluation
Instability was from continued wind drifting with impacts as variable as the layering.
Would expect a continuation based on the latest weather guess of more wind and a good dose of snow.
Hopefully water weight with the the next go around produces the widespread slide cycle instead of pockets both large and small.
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