Steep Creek conditions & avalanches

Map for Mountain Information Network report: Steep Creek conditions & avalanches

Snow conditions

Riding quality was:
Good
Snow conditions were:
  • Crusty
  • Powder
  • Wind affected
We rode:
  • Alpine slopes
  • Open trees
We stayed away from:
  • Steep slopes

Information

The day was:
  • Stormy
  • Warm
  • Wet
Avalanche conditions
  • Slab avalanches today or yesterday.
  • 30cm + of new snow, or significant drifting, or rain in the last 48 hours.

Comments

Overnight snow accumulation to 10 cm, with significant wind transport based on the storm that arrived earlier than predicted on Saturday (while we were in the Cayoosh area). A group that was exiting the area mentioned spooky conditions, with avalanches in steep North aspects. Our own observations saw isolated wind slabs to 30 cm and planar release on hand pits, but other nearby similar aspect slopes had no wind loading and little accumulation on the crust, producing no results on hand pits. We stayed on those open slopes, avoiding loaded wind slab pockets. Crust was 5-10 cm thick and sometimes breakable, but riding quality was overall good and snow was accumulating rapidly by the time we left at 2:30PM. At 2PM we heard two loud avalanches (see avalanche tab) but due to poor visibility couldn't get much more information than that. Snow got very moist below 1400 m and almost raining at parking lot.