Rode friday and saturday. In a lot of spots there was about an inch of ice on top of about 3 feet of powder. We did find some spots where there was no ice on top of the snow and it was pretty soft but you hit bottom a lot. We just need more snow.
2014/15 Snowy Range snow conditions
- Thread starter Himark
- Start date
A
Thanks for the report Iowa_Assault. Where you able to play in the powder in meadows or trees or is there still too many landmines? What about any climbing? We are leaving Thursday. Hope to have decent conditions.
Just got back from the Snowy's and their was about an inch of ice on the snow about a mile past Lake Marie. We couldn't break through it was so hard. BE VERY CAREFUL THIS YEAR WITH AVALANCHES. Make sure everybody has all the right equipment.
Anyone know what caused this layer of ice?
H
http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/report...rage_1981,TMAX::value,TMIN::value,TAVG::value
How come the max air temperature hasn't been above 40 since nov 9th? According to the med bow snotel. According to what people are saying they are finding the ice layer at higher elevation. Same thing happened at rabbit ears as well. Maybe it was warm weather but the snotel isn't showing it.
How come the max air temperature hasn't been above 40 since nov 9th? According to the med bow snotel. According to what people are saying they are finding the ice layer at higher elevation. Same thing happened at rabbit ears as well. Maybe it was warm weather but the snotel isn't showing it.
We were out there this weekend too. Road mostly trails due to the ice.
As far as why the layer of ice, it had to be from Freezing Rain. Most?Many of the trees were coated with ice and found a couple of signs dripping with ice formations. Also, the East Side is WAY worse than the west. Anywhere from 1/8" of ice crust on the west to 2" on the east. Crazy! Then underneath, powder snow with no base! Lol!!
As far as why the layer of ice, it had to be from Freezing Rain. Most?Many of the trees were coated with ice and found a couple of signs dripping with ice formations. Also, the East Side is WAY worse than the west. Anywhere from 1/8" of ice crust on the west to 2" on the east. Crazy! Then underneath, powder snow with no base! Lol!!
This makes more sense to me ^^^ since it hasn't been that warm. Actually seems like a freak and rare weather occurrence
It was 5° and sunny yesterday morning when i shoveled my driveway. The lil bit that the shovel left behind was melting as soon as the snow was gone off the top. Point being. It doesn't need to be above freezing for the snow to start to melt.
H
I think just the sun can sometimes do that. Say you got 32° weather with no wind and sunny. That sun is going to radiate heat and start melting the snow
From what everyone is saying, this ice layer seems to be different than when the snowpack begins to warm up and get set up in the spring.
Sounds like a temperature inversion occurred. Here the air aloft is actually warmer than the air at the surface. So falling precipitation falls as rain until it reaches the surface (where the snotel is), which is below freezing and freezes on contact, forming a nice layer of ice. I believe a warm front moved through mid last week at the end of the storm. It would make sense that this warmer air would rise above the cold air at the interface (because cold air is more dense), causing freezing rain.
A
So is the east side not rideable because of the ice? We are planning to parking at Albany Friday and ride out from there. Are we going to regret our trip? Any powder to play in or any hills that are safe to climb?
we rode from Albany. We got off into some meadows and they were alright. Didn't climb at all. A lot of spots were icy so we rode trails until we found soft snow. Sounds like they just got snow last night. Any reports on that?
Couple of my buddies were at rabbit ears this weekend and they said the same thing happened out their with ice layer
Went up to the gate today west side .
gonna run up with the sled tomorrow and see if I can remove a ski or two .
pretty low snow level
Ice layer did melt it's about 1/4" thick with 2-3" of fresh
1st pic is 10 mile
2nd is Ryan park
3rd is snow at the gate
4th is ice
5th is the creek south of the gate
gonna run up with the sled tomorrow and see if I can remove a ski or two .
pretty low snow level
Ice layer did melt it's about 1/4" thick with 2-3" of fresh
1st pic is 10 mile
2nd is Ryan park
3rd is snow at the gate
4th is ice
5th is the creek south of the gate
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Hope a couple good storms hit before the holiday weekend
Rode up to lake Marie from the west side. 2"-5" of fresh on ice.
Ice later is thick and everywhere, but the extreme south facing slopes.
We only broke through the ice while crossing creeks
I saw poo up testing the new rmk they had a bra over but it looked narrower and taller. One thing I noticed was the toe block off was drilled not slotted.
Ice later is thick and everywhere, but the extreme south facing slopes.
We only broke through the ice while crossing creeks
I saw poo up testing the new rmk they had a bra over but it looked narrower and taller. One thing I noticed was the toe block off was drilled not slotted.
Is the fresh snow sliding off the ice layer very easily or is there some level of bonding there? Just thinking in terms of stability for the rest of the season...if the first snow since rain has begun bonding we may not be in too much trouble, but everyone is going to need to keep that ice crust in mind in the months to come!
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