"Thumper crusts" and wet slabs

Thanks to all for sharing. We didn't experience any of this sort of settlement up on Earl this past Saturday (May 9), but the snowpack was indeed not yet consolidated, and a pole test showed multiple crusts down there with softer layers between. I hope you're right that we'll get a consistent period of "consolidation weather," Gary! But I hope folks stay safe while we're getting there...

Gave me the creeps, it did.

Talk like Yoda, you do. Teased your dog, you have.

.SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY...MOSTLY CLEAR. FREEZING LEVEL 11000
TO 12000 FEET.

This is the first time that freezing levels will have gotten this high since early February so the possibility (likelihood) of deeper slabs has to be considered especially beginning Sunday and more so day by day after that until it cools once again. Maybe we can finally get a more typical period of consolidation and hopefully better skiing conditions some time thereafter.

The updated forecast now shows an 11000' freezing level just for Sunday. But models also show that most of next week freezing levels will be a few thousand feet higher than they've been lately.

Thanks to all for sharing. We didn't experience any of this sort of settlement up on Earl this past Saturday (May 9),


minor correction jim!
i did not comunicate with you guys while we were skinning up to the ridge crest N of earl as i was taking a more gentle switchcaked line over to climbers rightout in the open vs the partially treed route guys took, but i did experience 2 woomping episodes, smaller than some of those described above, felt like the top foot or so of new snow settled suddenly but i did not observe cracks.
(:skip

North Cascades:

.FRIDAY NIGHT...PARTLY CLOUDY. FREEZING LEVEL 9000 FEET. LIGHT WIND.
.SATURDAY...MOSTLY SUNNY. FREEZING LEVEL 10500 FEET. AFTERNOON PASS
TEMPERATURES IN THE LOWER 60S. LIGHT WIND BECOMING WEST NEAR 10 MPH
IN THE AFTERNOON.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...PARTLY CLOUDY. FREEZING LEVEL 12000 FEET.
.SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT...PARTLY CLOUDY. FREEZING LEVEL 12500 FEET.
.MONDAY...PARTLY SUNNY WITH A CHANCE OF SHOWERS. FREEZING LEVEL
10000 FEET.

Looks like it snowed at least 5" last night with gradual warming. The warming will continue with very warm temps Saturday night and Sunday likely. That should be warm enough to create something of an avalanche cycle. I'd have to think that some of the deeper weak layers could become active.

I'd have to think that some of the deeper weak layers could become active.

In general it's hard to imagine any great skiing unless the snowpack settles quickly and gets a good freeze from the clear night sky.
Based on Stimbuck's snowpack reports three weeks ago at Chinook, I would assume that most of the meltwater in the snowpack, at least at 6500ft and below would have permeated the January ice crust by now. I have not done any specific digging pit profiles to back up my thoughts, but it seems reasonable given the time lapse. Any thoughts on that?
As always in spring known areas with snowpack over smooth shale rock is another area of concern.
This Thumper layer on the other hand has me wondering if we will get a few slides rolling from that when the upper layer perks?

curious if others have been looking at the hurricane ridge telemetry and wondering if skiing conditions could be better/safer in the Olympics this weekend instead of teh Cascades.... Looks like the Olympics might've received only a fraction of the snow and rain the Cascades got over the past few days, and since it sounds like there was a fairly significant avy cycle last weekend (from what was posted earlier in this thread) I'm kinda hoping there might be some corn, or at least something other than bottomless sludge, over there