Settling Snow pack in Deep Creek

We toured in Deep Creek today, surveying conditions following the storm. On the ridge, near treeline, the lead person in our party encountered repeated whumpfing and collapsing of the snowpack. These areas were only modestly wind affected, however, enough to consolidate new snow. The new snow depth varied between 12" to 25", with the firm old snow surface ever present below.

I ski cut an obvious knoll, a small 40-45 degree convex rollover, on a north-facing slope. the slope in about a 200' radius collapsed easily under body weight and propagated across the knoll.

This was in the same vicinity as the avy observation made by another party today. Both slides were on prime slope angles, with obvious triggers surrounding them.

Those SAC forecasters weren't just whistling Dixie when they talked about persistent instability between the new and old after this last storm. This was a good day to be on lower-angle terrain.