Lacking Lowers

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

By Lisa Van Sciver

Jackson Hole, Wyo.-This week’s warm March temperatures accelerated snowmelt, leaving most of the lower elevation snowless. Ski lines like the Wilson Faces were rarely skied and the Taco Bell Couloir was nonexistent. The hot sun and warm temperatures heat the day, cause the snow to change to water, and disappear. The lack of snow in the valley will cause riders to seek lines higher in the mountains.
Last week, light snowfall was transported by wind and loaded on leeward aspects. Soft slab avalanches at upper elevations were reported.

The 40-degree to 50-degree temps we have seen in the valley helped quickly settle the new snow, but isolated pockets may exist at the highest elevations where temperatures remained cooler. Remember this season’s weak layers, because rapid warming breaks down the bonds between snow grains and reawakens them. Watch out for rain, since it makes the snowpack extremely weak, and increases the stress by adding a load.

Perfect corn, ice, hard pack, breakable crust, supportable crust, dust on crust, slush, wind- loaded and dirt are the types of riding currently available in our surrounding mountains. Maybe the Saint Patty’s leprechaun will bring snow to lower elevations, but probably not. So the lower lines, which lack snow, will just have to be skied next year.   


PERMALINK:
Lacking Lowers | Planet JH News Article: Snow Report Column

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