Mica SE Slidepath study pit ("747")

Is this a point observation or a summary of your day?

Point observation

Elevation above sea level

2,050m

Elevation band

• Treeline

Aspect

• SE

Snowpack depth

175cm

Did you observe whumpfing?

No

Did you observe cracking?

No

Ski penetration

25cm

Snowpack test result

Moderate

Snowpack test fracture character

Sudden (`pop` or `drop`)

Snowpack test failure depth

115cm

Surface conditions

• New snow

Snowpack test failure layer crystal type

• Surface hoar

We toured up to the top of "747", a SE facing slidepath on Mica Mountain, which runs from 2100m to 1250m and typically offers excellent skiing when the conditions are right.

We dug a pit and collected the following data:

2050m

20m below ridgetop on windward slope

SE aspect

26 degrees

205cm HS

25cm HST

Snow crystal observations were limited, but all closer inspection with magnification indicated most layers were undergoing rounding.

CTM12 (break on wind crust) down 35cm

CTH25 (sudden planar on an unknown/decomposing interface)

Shovel shear test produced sudden planar results on the late-December surface hoar down 115cm

Weather:

Temperature estimated at -15 (my beer was starting to freeze)

Sky overcast

Calm to light southerlies

Precipitation nil

Ski quality was excellent and we saw no signs of instability or natural avalanches.