Observation type
Snowpack Location (general area) north face mt baden-powell Date (yyyymmdd) 20130310 Time 1pm Road conditions to area clear to Vincent gap Temperature low 30s Sky clear (no clouds) Wind speed Light (1-16mph Flags/twigs in motion) Wind direction not observed Slope aspect North Slope angle 30-40 Elevation 8000-9000 Snow depth variable, dirt to 3' Boot/ Ski penetration boot deep Precipitation None Activity, recent avalanches No Brief description whumphing underfoot, localized cracks on sides of chute while skining up Whumphing noises, shooting cracks. collapsing yes Rapid warming no Terrain trap yes Comment While skinning up the west gullie chute, northface baden-powell, I observed some signs of instability. I dug a series of hand pits and found the problem to be isolated to sides of the chute. As previously reported this area slid last snow cycle. The hand pits reviled that the new 15cm of snow bonded with the bed surface and to the snow from the previous snow cycle but below that, in areas that had not slid, is a combo of a pencil/knife hard 2cm crust on top of 10cm rotten faceted snow. The area skied fine and signs were only observed while climbing. Ski cutting short slopes reviled no results or signs. Publish this observation Yes I would like this observation Published |