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Professional Observation

Basic Information

Observation Details

Observation Date:
January 11, 2022
Submitted:
January 12, 2022
Observer:
TAC - Andy Bond
Zone or Region:
Taos Area
Location:
Your's and Mine (Lake Fork/Kachina Peak Sub Ridgeline)

Signs of Unstable Snow

Recent Avalanches? 
None Observed
Cracking? 
None Experienced
Collapsing? 
None Experienced

Snow Stability

Stability Rating: 
Very Good
Confidence in Rating: 
High
Stability Trend: 
Steady

Bottom Line

Avalanche activity has diminished over the last 10 days of high pressure. Facets and depth hoar on or near the ground on northerly aspects near and above treeline are taking hard force to get to fail in extended column tests and are gaining strength with a settling dense snowpack. Overall snowpack depths are highly variable and the most likely place to impact a weak layer will be in a shallow snowpack (<150cm).

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Weather Summary

Cloud Cover:
Mostly Sunny
Temperature:
30 - 34
Wind:
Calm , NW

Warm sunny day with temperatures approaching freezing. Calm NW winds at ridglines.

Snowpack Observations

Highly variable conditions out there with stiff supportable slabs and breakable crusts on wind-exposed slopes near and above treeline. Slide for life conditions exist in the alpine. Warm temperatures and sun over the last several days have created crusts on many solar aspects, especially at lower elevations. Wind-sheltered northerly aspects still have soft snow on the surface from near-surface faceting. Overall, skiing and riding conditions aren't the greatest right now.

Overall, snowpack depths vary greatly across the mountains with some slopes containing shallow (<150cm of snow) while others have well over 220cm. In extended column tests above treeline, it continues to take hard force to get facet/depth hoar layers near the ground to fail. These faceted weak layers have dense slabs on top and seem to be gaining strength with a settling snowpack.

The upper 20cm of the snowpack is where we're seeing near-surface faceting either on the surface or beneath stiff wind crusts.

Terrain Use

The best skiing and riding is found on wind-sheltered northerly aspects, where soft turns can still be made.

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