Location: Paradise Divide Area
Date of Observation: 12/16/2017
Name: Ian HAVLICK
Subject: Cinnamon Mountain
Aspect: East, South East, South, West
Elevation: 10,100-12,300
Avalanches:
no avalanches observed.
Weather: Overcast all day, chilly but only very light winds made day feel warmer. Minimal solar radiation.
Snowpack: Tale of two different snowpacks at the moment. near and below treeline snowpack is shallow and generally completely rotten and faceted. Big grained depth hoar, total sandbox, with depths ranging from total dirt to 50cm.
Above treeline, the snow surfaces are a war zone. Variable snow surfaces, very dense, slick, wind hammered. Dirt to crossloaded pockets 90cm deep. Snow structure is a beaten dog, 80% facets, with some real firm hardslabs (pencil+ to knife hard). These conditions are not dangerous at the moment, but will be looking at poor instability with any new snow loads. At ridge crest, Wednesday’s 1″ accumulations had drifted to 6-8″ but minimally cracking under boot foot.
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