Observation Date: 12/01/2019

Route/Location:
Rattlesnake: Snowbowl to Point 6

Weather:
Partly cloudy at 11am, with increasing and lowering clouds through the day. Winds increased through the day as well, from light to moderate in the upper elevations, but no significant snow transport as of 5pm. Increasing temps also, from low 20s to upper 20s at trailhead.

Wind:

New Snow: No New Snow

Avalanche Activity:
No red flags observed.

Other Comments:
No base below ~6500′ (only 2-4″ snow from Friday). Above that faceted crusts provide a somewhat supportable base, improving with increasing snow depth as elevation is gained. There were decent (early season) turns in sheltered areas above ~6500′.

Early season conditions exist. Thin snow coverage and a lot of potential snags were the most serious objective hazard.

The snowpack may be capable of producing small avalanches in some areas, and this could be dangerous on exposed terrain and terrain traps. There currently is not enough snow to produce large avalanches in most areas of the Rattlesnake.

Observer: Mat Brunton