Link Mountain Log

We rode out to the Red Meadow area and skied Link Mountain today. We wanted to monitor surface conditions before more snow comes in tomorrow, and to hunt for any wind slabs that might still be out there.

• We triggered 1 wind slab mid slope while skiing the E face of Link Mtn. We got some cracking in wind slabs on an E facing rollover at Link Lake. All slabs were about 3-6" thick, soft slabs that failed on low density snow. Slabs were isolated and small.
• The snow surface is generally 2-8" of low density winter snow (including on windward slopes at mid and upper elevations) except in consistently sun-exposed, low-mid elevation patches where the surface was moistening or already sun crusted. We saw small surface hoar that was staying upright and intact on sheltered slopes below ~6500'. From 6500' to the summit at 7300' we found large preserved surface hoar on slopes sheltered from the sun and wind.
• Winds were intermittent and light from the south and west. We saw occasional light blowing snow that did not seem to be enough to form new slabs today.
• We skied very steep slopes and challenging terrain. Aside from our lone, small wind slab we had only minor sluffing to manage.