Public Observation #2022-645

Observation Details

Signs of Unstable Snow

None reported

Observations

Quick tour out to Kwolh on Tuesday 2/1

Weather: Clouds were blowing over the top of Bachelor and Kwolh, windy 10-15 with gusts around 20mph. Only a couple light snow showers while I was there. Temps in the low teens.

Snow: Skiing was actually pretty good. Skied the east face a couple times and stopped to dig a hasty pit at the bottom of the east face. There was about 4-5 inches of fist hard new snow on top of 4 inches of finger hard ice crystals(snow cone like consistency) which was sitting on top of a knife hard ice layer. Some interesting layers below the ice crust as well. See picture below. The ridge was still very firm corral reef type snow with all the new snow being stripped by the wind. Did not perform a compression test or ECT as avy danger out at Kwolh is typically very low with most slopes under 30 degrees. There are some weird layers in our snowpack which are worth keeping an eye on if you are skiing steeper terrain.