| Recent Avalanches? | No |
| Collapsing (Whumphing)? | No |
| Cracking (Shooting cracks)? | Yes |
Observation: Summit
Location: Manitoba Mtn
From Manitoba Cabin took standard uptrack via road and ski trail to approx. 2700ft on WSW aspect of Manitoba Mtn (pic).
Obvious signs of instability
Observer Comments
Saw no signs of recent avalanche activity. Did kick off some very localized shooting cracks, breaking at 5cm below snow surface under wind transported layer (pic).
Weather
This was day 3 of a run of cloudless bluebird skies with no wind. Temp at 1300 was -4C(25F). No new snow during this period (2/23-25) however indications of abundant wind transport and wind slab/sastrugi development related? to strong wind events of this past week.
Snow surface
From hut to 2275ft mostly loose snow with 1mm surface hoar and near surface facets. Boot penetration to 30 cm. Snow surface became wind rippled above that elevation which transitioned to wind slab and sastrugi above 2457ft (pic). wind slab/sastrugi seems to have formed due to recent strong northwest? winds (pic). Hand shears gave no results.
Snowpack
Quick pit at 2457ft, 60.68394, 149.43524. aspect 247deg. Incline 30deg. TS = 137cm. Top down: 137-128 = F 1mm surface hoar overlying near surface facets. 128-127 1F 1mm wind packed rounds. 127-108 = 4F 1mm facets. 108- 75 = 1F 0.5mm rounds. 75-27 = P 0.5mm rounds. 27mm-0 = 1F 2mm rounded basal facets. CTNx2.
Manitoba Mtn wind slab and anittracks
localized shooting cracks Manitoba Mtn
Manitoba Mtn W. aspect wind slab and antitracks
Manitoba Mtn uptrack with View looking northeast.