Observations

South Fork Eagle River:

Obvious signs of instability (red flags):

• Active wind loading

Weather:

• Sunny, single digit alpine temperatures, north wind picking up into the lower 20s with gusts into the lower 30s by afternoon

Surface conditions:

• Generally 4″ of fresh, cold smoke (wind-buffed in areas)

Snowpack:

North Bowl snowpit: ~3900′, 324* N aspect, 32* slope, 80cm HS, ECTN1 down 10cm on buried surface hoar (loose snow above hasn’t formed into a consolidated slab yet, but BSH is well preserved), ETCP26SC down 75-80cm on basal facets and depth hoar

French Bowl snowpit: ~3700′, 267* W aspect, 27* slope, 85cm HS, ECTN1 down 10cm on BSH (well preserved here too but, again, loose snow above), ECTP29SC down ~80-85cm on basal facets and depth hoar