Strong east winds continue to strip snow off exposed upper elevation slopes, while creating drifts and wind slabs in unusual places. The Logan Peak weather station at 9700' reports 16 degrees and sustained east winds for at least the last 36 hours, currently averaging close to 60 mph, with a 78 mph gust earlier this morning. Tony Grove Snotel at 8400' reports 22 degrees, and 20 inches of total snow containing 4.2 inches of water equivalent, 96% of average water content for the date. You'll find nice soft snow on a shallow supportable base in sheltered terrain and a moonscape of sastrugi, rock hard drifts of varying depths, and slopes stripped bare of snow. Very shallow, early season snow conditions exist. The Tony Grove Road is not maintained for wheeled travel in the winter, and the road is currently somewhat treacherous. 4-wheel-drive vehicles and chains are recommended.
It's important to check your avalanche rescue equipment, change to fresh batteries in your beacon, and test it's range. Refresh yourself and your partners with easy companion rescue scenarios, and continue practicing in the early season. History shows that early avalanches are not uncommon in the area, and you need to start the winter season on top of your game.
Check out Paige's video observation from 11-22-2013 in the Tony Grove Area.......HERE
Observers reported a couple small natural wind slab avalanches and loose sluffs in steep terrain in the Tony Grove Lake Area yesterday. Otherwise, no significant avalanches have yet been reported in the backcountry around Logan, but several parties in the past week reported triggering audible collapses and shooting cracks indicating unstable snow conditions on upper elevation slopes.