Blowing snow, stubborn wind slabs, and storm snow settlement on Incline Lake Peak.

Near treeline along the summit ridge, significant amounts of blowing snow were observed. Large overhung cornice formations were present with some natural collapses over the past 24 hours. Recently formed wind slabs were present but unreactive to the weight of a skier or to collapses of cornice sections up to half the size of a 55 gallon drum. Some tests indicated that if these stubborn wind slabs were to fail, some propagation could occur.

In below treeline NE-E aspect terrain on Incline Lake Peak there were at least 6 crowns from storm slab avalanches that occurred on March 22. The one we chose to investigate on a NE aspect at 9,040' (noted lat/long & photos) failed 1 to 2 feet deep and appeared to have failed on a density change within the storm snow. Snowpit tests performed at the crown scored CTH BKN and ECTN, indicating that this weak layer was no longer reactive. Ski cuts on several test slopes of similar aspect, elevation, and slope angle produced no results.

Signs of 5+ inches of storm snow settlement were widespread in the form of cracked settlement cones around trees from the old lake bed up to the summit.