Photos

Winds have worked over many slopes near the Throne. We found some slopes stripped nearly to dirt with the snow blown off to who knows where, and others had wind-sculpted sastrugi. Trees were broken off, and debris littered the snow surface. Photo: GNFAC

Today, we traveled into the Maid of the Mist basin and up and along the Palace Butte ridgeline.  Although temperatures have warmed up significantly since the weekend, strong winds kept conditions frigid. Winds blew plumes of snow off the high peaks and at ridgelines, gusting 50-60 mph. Photo: GNFAC

Winds blew plumes of snow off the high peaks and at ridgelines, gusting 50-60 mph. Photo: GNFAC

Winds blew plumes of snow off the high peaks and at ridgelines, gusting 50-60 mph. Photo: GNFAC

Wind slab avalanche on E Henderson North of the large slide path close to Fisher Pk. R1 D2,1-2' deep, 200' wide. It broke aprx 200' below the summit mid slope. It looked like it broke on the 19th. Photo: BPG

From Obs. "Wind was swirling in Maid of the Mist yesterday, mostly upslope winds that were transporting snow, but inconsistently and were difficult to predict where they were loading. We did not find widespread wind loading, but did get a very small windslab to release just below the top of the ridge (max 3-4" thickness, see image)." Photo: C. Avis

From FB message 1/19: "In between redstreak peak and white peak... The whole slope cracked..." C. Fregian

Screenshots from videos sent in messenger

From FB message 1/19: "In between redstreak peak and white peak... The whole slope cracked..." C. Fregian

From FB message 1/19: "In between redstreak peak and white peak... The whole slope cracked..." C. Fregian

Screenshots from videos sent in messenger

From FB message 1/19: "In between redstreak peak and white peak... The whole slope cracked…"

Screenshots from videos sent in messenger

From FB message 1/19: "In between redstreak peak and white peak... The whole slope cracked...”

Screenshots from videos sent in messenger

We triggered a small soft slab avalanche on a south facing aspect around 7800'. This avalanche broke in a wind drift, 4" deep in low density new snow, likely on a sun crust or near-surface facets. Photo: GNFAC

We triggered a small soft slab avalanche on a south facing aspect around 7800'. This avalanche broke in a wind drift, 4" deep in low density new snow, likely on a sun crust or near-surface facets. Photo: GNFAC

Shooting crack in a fresh wind slab near Mt Jefferson

North facing pit in Hellroaring Creek, Centennials

North facing snow profile Hellroaring Creek, Centennials

South facing snowpit Hellroaring creek, Centennials

S facing snow profile from Hellroaring Creek in Centennials

We skied to the top of Mt. Ellis via the ridge from the north. There was light wind on the ridge, otherwise calm. Snowing steadily this morning and tapered off by noon-1pm with skies clearing after noon. There were 2-4" of low density new snow. We dug a pit off the ridgeline on a northeast facing slope at 7,800' and one pit at the top of the burned slope, east facing at 8,100'. Profiles attached.

The first pit had an ECTX and the second had propagation with extra force. There were 2mm facets 30cm off the ground in both pits which were slightly softer in the higher pit. Snow depth was 3-4 feet up high and around 2 feet lower in the thicker trees and along the trails.

Strong winds transporting snow on Saddle Peak. Photo: BBSP