Route:
Manitoba hut to 3700 ft on Manitoba ridge.
Weather:
Temps: mid teens F
Winds: Calm
Skies: Clear
Precip: None
Obvious Signs:
Recent Avalanches: None
Shooting Cracks: None
Collapsing: One localized collapse around 2500 ft near brush that was poking through the surface.
Buried surface hoar found in a pit adjacent to this collapse.
Surface Obs:
1000-1800′ packed snow covered approach trail with a few rocks pocking through. Very low snow
cover off trail
1800-2000′ breakable surface crust with 30-50cm total snow depth
2000-2500′ 5-10cm loose snow over variable firm crust. 50-75 cm total snow depth. 2-4mm surface
hoar on the snow surface.
2500-3700′ variable wind scoured snow surface with wind loaded pockets of loose snow. 1-3mm
surface hoar on the snow surface.
Below the surface:
Found buried surface hoar layer above a crust at 2500′ which propagated in two extended column
tests. This layer was buried 25 cm deep in a wind protected area at tree line. There was also a
localized collapse adjacent to this snow pit site. In a wind loaded area at 3200′ we found another
layer of buried surface hoar at a hardness change from pencil to one finger 30cm deep. This layer
also propagated in two extended column test but was very difficult to located visually in the pit wall.
Snow Pits:
1 @ 2500′ at tree line. Aspect: W, HS: 75cm. Buried surface hoar over a crust layer 25cm deep.
Results: ECTP11 SC, ECTP12 SC at buried surface hoar layer 25cm from surface.
1 @ 3200′ on leeward side of Manitoba ridge. Aspect: SW, HS: 105cm. Buried surface hoar at
hardness change from pencil to 2 cm layer of one finger then returning to pencil. Buried 30 cm from
surface. Results: ECTP18 RP, ECTP16 RP at buried surface hoar layer 30 cm from surface.