Location: Crested Butte Area
Date of Observation: 02/14/2017
Name: Peter Innes
Date of Observation: 02/14/2017
Name: Peter Innes
Subject: Growing weak layer on Snodgrass
Aspect: North East
Elevation: 10,000′
Aspect: North East
Elevation: 10,000′
Avalanches: None
Weather: Suns out guns out
Snowpack: No superficial signs of instability while skinning and skiing slopes up to 35º. However, there is a new weak layer growing on the open slopes of Snodgrass, as highlighted by ZG’s observation on 2.14.17–
” …thin layer of low density stellar dendrites above the soft melt-freeze crusts at the surface. This layer will quickly facet into our next weak layer over the next few days on shadier aspects where it doesn’t get cooked.”
This is indeed occurring on the shaded, NE slopes of Snodgrass. The layer is about 1.5″ thick in most places, with grains about 2-3mm (didn’t have ruler). It’s widespread on open slopes but mostly absent in the trees.