Scoured surfaces and soft snow on Becker Peak

Soft unconsolidated snow existed above an eroding crust on the sheltered below treeline northerly aspects on Becker Peak and Talking Mtn today. In exposed near treeline areas wind scoured surfaces dominated these aspects. Any wind slabs that did exist on the N-NE aspects in these areas today were very small and did not show signs of instability. Snowpit data also indicated that the weak layers within the recent snow as well as the facets below the rain crust are gaining strength. Test results indicating a more stable snowpack were consistent in on both below treeline N-NE sheltered slopes as well as wind affected near treeline N-NE aspects.

On the SE-S-SW aspects wet surface snow that had not quite transitioned to corn snow existed in sun-exposed areas by noon. On the more shaded slopes a breakable melt-freeze crust remained. Some small wind slabs did exist on the S-SW aspects in near treeline terrain between Becker and Talking. Snowpit tests, ski cuts, ski kicks and aggressive weighting without skis did not produce any signs of instabilities on test slopes where these isolated slabs existed.

Unlike the data collected on Donner Peak yesterday, no data collected today indicated that the slabs are becoming more reactive, nor did data indicate that the weak layers below the isolated slabs are becoming weaker.