Yale Creek out of Island Park
Recent Avalanches? None
Observed Cracking? None
Experienced Collapsing? None
Experienced PWL at ground level is alive and well but seems to be healing with the thick insulation layer of snow covering it. Because the snowpack is generally very cohesive on top of the PWL it will be very hard to trigger. The biggest concern is of a couple of slabs of drifted snow in the top 1 to 2 feet of snow. Not sure how widespread the near surface facet layer is, but I found a very touchy layer at high elevation on an east facing slope. this is something to keep in mind after the next storm cycle adds weight and stress to this layer. My biggest concern is of the wind slabs mostly on NE slopes. I observed a lot of blowing snow today that will add weight and stress to these areas. Watch for cracking as you enter wind loaded slopes. It is going to be very difficult to trigger the deep persistent weak layer, what could happen is that a wind slab avalanche could step down into the deeper snowpack triggering a sleeping monster. We don't want to wake him up!
Snow pit location on the east slope of Sawtell. Elevation 7600 ft on north facing 18 degree slope. HS 155cm HN 5cm. Scored ECTN14@132cm and ECTN25@115cm FC confirmed on the ground underneath a MF crust. Although this PWL exists the crystals had some cohesion. About 4F.
Second pit was excavated at 9000ft SW of Sawtell Peak at the head of Yale Creek on an east facing 20 degree slope. HS 255cm HN 8cm. Scored ECTN1@247cm and ECTN17@200cm. I didn't dig down to the facet layer at the bottom of the snowpack, but could feel a strong MF crust at about 35cm off the ground and then very low resistance after poking through the crust into the facet layer. I did identify a surface facet layer at 8cm into the snowpack, just under the new snow, that was very touchy.