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Observation: Tushers

Observation Date
12/4/2016
Observer Name
Toddeo
Region
Southwest » Tushers
Location Name or Route
Tushers - Mt. Holly
Weather
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Light winds below treeline. Mostly moderate to occasional strong winds in the alpine. mostly above 11,500'. Some transport. Warm day, I was able to linger in the wind at 12,000' on the summit of Mt. Holly.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Dense Loose
Wind Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments

Powder was limited to very sheltered areas, rare.

Most snow was either scalloped or mostly supportable wind board which was very easy to carve turns on.

Red Flags
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
Wind loading was the primary red flag today. Minor amounts of basal facets.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments

Some wind slabs but they seemed to be unreactive and lacked any energy.

Moderate Hazard.

Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Normal Caution
Trend
Same
Problem #2 Comments

Still a thin snow pack. HS 27" in sheltered shady areas. many exposed areas are blown clear and thin, not uncommon for this area.

Snow Profile
Aspect
Southwest
Elevation
11,600'
Slope Angle
30°
Comments

HS - 32" in this area which is a gully that blows in, HS was 12" only 10' away from the pit. Snow profile shows 4" of basal facets (2 finger) overlain by 28" of wind deposited snow mostly in the 1 finger range with an occasional layer of 2 finger snow.

Of note, the facets were not very weak as evidenced by the 2 finger hardness. See below for a photo of the facets.

Snow pit as located at about 2/3 height in the 2nd photo below. Pit was accessed the lookers right side of the shot by ascending up the thin scoured area shown in the 3rd photo below. This is a good safe way to access terrain in this area.

Photo below: I have three words for snow, today I will use two of them: Not Powder......

Photos below: 1st - Typical terrain, extreme guys will have to wait for the steep norths to fill in.

2nd - Panorama looking north from Mt. Holly to south facing terrain.

I would say generally a moderate hazard.

Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate
Coordinates