Date of Observation: 12/24/2016
Name: Zach Guy
Aspect: North, South, West
Elevation: 10,000-12,000 ft
Avalanches: A pair of 2-3 foot soft slabs ran naturally today on the north face of Ruby Peak, failing on old snow at the ground. SS-N-R1-D2-O/G. These paths had been wind scoured close to the ground during the 12/16 storm, so I would expect similar instabilities could be found on reloading bed surfaces above treeline. No other activity observed.
Weather: Mild temps, scattered clouds. Light to moderate SW winds at ridge top with minimal transport, but moderate to strong wind transport observed off of the peaks in the Ruby Range and Beckwiths. Minimal transport on Axtell and Carbon Peak.
Snowpack: On low angle southerly aspects below treeline, the snow surface was 2-4 mm surface hoar over a thin, soft crust mid day. On westerly aspects, 1 mm near surface facets. Snow surface snow surface was becoming moist on these aspects by the afternoon, and it appears that these PWL’s got cooked into a crust by the end of the day (with very small facets above) at lower elevations, and got raked by winds at higher elevations.
2-4 mm surface hoar, low angle southerly aspects.
Fresh slides to the ground