Travel today was from Grizzly Gulch > East Bowl Pass > Davenport Hill to assess wind slab reactivity, weakening snow surfaces, and poor snowpack structure in thin and rocky areas. Below ridgelines old wind slabs have weakened, leaving 2-3 inches of soft snow above a supportable slab. Along the ridgeline, we observed sensitive cracking in the recently drifted snow and easily released a small pocket of wind-drifted snow, 2-4 inches deep, into north-facing terrain.

We dug a snowpit at East Bowl Pass to assess the early season PWL in a thin, rocky area. The height of snow at this location was 130cm, and the early season facets found just 2 feet beneath the snow surface were extremely weak. Our ECT column failed upon isolation (ECTP-V) in the early season facets, close to the ground. We selected this location to represent slopes that have previously avalanched this season, as well as trigger points in thin, rocky terrain where early-season facets are not buried as deeply. In areas like these, the PWL problem is a greater concern and should be avoided as we anticipate an incoming storm.

While it doesn't seem like this issue is widespread, it's worth taking into account. The primary issue moving into the next storm system will likely be the new snow old snow interface which is actively faceting out, but in the shallower and previously avalanche areas there also is a chance the deeper PWL could come back to life.

Pic 1: 2-4 inch deep pockets of wind-drifted snow on north-facing terrain

Pic 2: Thin wind-slab found along ridgelines

Pic 3: Snowpit showing early season PWL in a thin, rocky area (10,000' W)

Pic 4: Weakening old wind slabs - brushed off with pole baskets

Pic 5: Sensitive cracking in wind-drifted snow

Pic 6: Views