Lingering Weaknesses on Tamarack Peak

Wind loading continued in the Mt. Rose backcountry today and small reactive wind slabs were sensitive to ski kicks on some wind loaded test slopes. These measured 4 to 6 inches in depth. Fragile cornices also existed above many wind loaded slopes and ski kicks well away from the edges or test slopes would cause large cornices to break. These large cornice pieces did not trigger any deeper wind slabs than those mentioned above on the test slopes they impacted. Snowpit data showed weak layers in the snowpack in the form of a softer snow layer a few cm's below yesterday's rain crust and the facets at the base of the snowpack. Tests on the layer below the upper rain crust indicated that fractures could still propagate along the layer and that human triggering may remain possible. Tests on the deeper facet layer indicated that those facets remain weak but that getting force down to that depth would be difficult. They were 160 cm below the surface in the snowpit. Tests did indicate that if this layer does break fractures could still propagate along that layer.  See snowpit for details.

Snowpit: Not a full pit. I recorded hand hardness for layer id and did stability tests. ECTP 25 @ 155 (the layer below yesterday's rain crust). Modified ECTP 14 @ 62cm - I removed snow from the column until only 1m of snow remained on top of the facet layer at 62 cm.  PST 0/165 END @ 62cm - Test failed during isolation.

Photo 1: PST 0/165 END @ 62cm - Test failed during isolation.

Photo 2: ECTP 25 @ 155 (the layer below yesterday's rain crust).

Photo 3: Small 4-6 inch wind slab on a NE facing wind loaded test slope.