Public Observation #2022-854
Submitted:
November 16, 2022 6:05 AM
Observation Date:
November 15, 2022
Zone or Region:
Central Cascades
Activity:
Skiing/Snowboarding
Location:
North of Tumalo Butte
None reported
On Tuesday I went for a tour on my skinny skis through the forests and meadows just north of Tumalo Butte. Well developed surface hoar and near surface facets (see picture) made for fantastic skiing on slopes that hadn't gotten melted by the sun on Monday. Sunnier slopes had a melt freeze crust and were beginning to melt by mid day. Snow heights throughout my ski ranged from 42 cm. in Dutchman Flat to 58 cm. at 6750 ft. There is a thick (10 cm.) rain crust about a foot below the surface. I could find weak snow below this rain crust, but in the spot that I dug (6750 ft. North) the crust was maybe too irregular (thick in some spots and thin in others from pooling water when it rained) to produce results in stability tests.