Observation Date: 12/16/2018

Route/Location:
Up to the first knob on Sweeney Peak Ridgeline

Weather:
Mostly sunny, some light clouds. High temp near 30.

Wind:
Strong wind from south early, shifting to southwest in the afternoon. Ridgeline winds were sustained at 20-30 MPH.

New Snow: No New Snow

Avalanche Activity:
No natural avalanches. No sign of previous avalanches on open north face of St. Joe or steep NE facing bowls of Sweeney.

Other Comments:
We collapsed a cornice from 20ft back. Several large (refrigerator sized) chunks fell and slid down the 40 degree start of a NE bowl, they scoured lots of snow from the rocky steep start of the bowl, but did not propagate any slabs in the bowl. We observed significant whoomphing on isolated wind slabs on the ridge. Noticed some snow still moving from south slopes to N and NE slopes. Snowpack was 115cm at 8400′ on NE aspect, new wind slab about 30cm thick with granular faceted snow below. South faces were a mix nice soft snow where they were protected by trees, otherwise they were sun or wind crusted.

Observer: Chuck Casper