Nowcast - Over the past 48 hours light snow showers stacked up a surprising 2-5" of snow favoring the North Slope and Central Wilderness. The price we pay for a few inches of low-density fluff? Bone-chilling, single digit temperatures around 1°F at 8,000' trailheads, trending colder as you climb in elevation. The high peaks and ridges are well into the negatives, with windchill around -25°F, courtesy of the northwest winds averaging 15 MPH, gusting into the 20's and 30's.
Forecast - Expect a few lingering flurries and snow showers through the late morning, but additional accumulations will be next to nil. Skies part by late afternoon and the cold persists with a high near 10°F. Winds blowing from the northwest will average 15 MPH while gusting into the 20's at upper elevations keeping it fridgid.
Futurecast - Things clear out later today and we are staying hopeful for another pinch of snow later this week. We will keep you updated and in the loop!
Travel Conditions -A few inches helped us out up hight, but at first glance from the trailheads riding conditions look downright industrial. But with elevation gain our snowpack returns to near-normal, and above 9,000', we have 1-4' of settled snow. With that in mind, many solar aspects are melted out or wind-scoured, the pack is thin or even non-existent here. The best riding is on the north half of the compass in protected terrain, away from the wind and elements. Here the snow surface is less variable and a mix of recycled powder capped by our recent storm snow, providing quality riding with chin-tickling topper.
Jon C and Toby were out in the Mirror Lake Corridor yesterday, chuting around Notch Peak and reported chalky, yet soft turns with no signs of instability noted throughout their travels.
Meanwhile, Dan G and his crew were out in the meadows tracking-up any un-turned snow in sight while taking advantage of the cold, clear day.
Yesterday, small wind-drifted avalanches were observed and reported across the range. Noted on upper elevation slopes with an easterly component, these drifts were 2-6" deep running up to a hundred feet vertically and occurred naturally during spikes in the wind throughout the day.
Tower Mountain, a southeast slope at 10,500' where strong winds from the northwest created soft, small drifts that were reactive, but relatively harmless to a rider in non-consequential terrain. See more, here.
