Date: 24/07/2020
Observations Summary
Yesterday field teams traveled between 1600m and 2150m on a variety of aspects. The snow pack is quite supportive making for good travel conditions but that said, the surface crust is making for mixed ski conditions. The best turns were found on easterly aspects and northerly aspects (once softened later in the day).
Alpine Conditions
Sub-Alpine Conditions
Mountain environments can be categorised as above or below the tree line, thus Alpine and Subalpine respectively. Find out more about how these types of terrain can create or mitigate backcountry hazards here.
Travel & Terrain advice:
The localised ice hazard is a concern particularly on windward slopes where snow has been stripped away. Also, solar aspects will have refrozen overnight so expect them to be icy to start the day. Given the weather forecast, these slopes will soften again as the day goes on. Beware of slide risk on steep slopes.
Field tests are still showing that the most recent wind slabs in the alpine are not bonding well to the previous surface (crust). These wind slabs are predominantly on SE slopes.
Avoid steep convex slopes in the alpine and investigate this interface before committing to steeper lines.
Advisory Confidence: STRONG
We need your eyes too. If you’ve been touring in the Alpine National Park we’d love to know what you have seen. Every little bit helps.
Weather Summary
Mostly sunny. Winds northwesterly 15 to 25 km/h becoming light in the late afternoon. (Source: BOM)