24-25

Noticed a small 8-10” wind slab pocket on the way in, looked like storm load but could have been sled triggered from the top. Photo: Anonymous 

Small avalanche NE aspect near top of beaver. D1 natural trigger wind slab. Only observed avalanche from groomer trail. Photo: Z Bailey

Bottom of the Ramp, E aspect, 7900'. We found 24" of new snow which had nearly doubled the snowpack, leaving over five and half foot deep (HS 171) snowpack in this area. We got propagation (ECTP 24) at the storm snow interface. Photo: GNFAC

Sawtelle Peak E-facing Profile at 9000 ft - 31 Dec 2024

Did the tour de Yellow Mules and today and found some amazing pockets of riding. Tricky riding the wind blow snow though, the snow would be supportable to the slab/old snow, but found some pockets where you’d break through and submarine into the facets at the bottom. Ski tugs got us out. 
 

The wind had definitely been moving things around, signs of decent loading and some avy activity today, kind of where I thought we’d find some action. See attached photos. Noticed a small 8-10” wind slab pocket on the way in, looked like storm load but could have been sled triggered from the top. Found a bigger pocket that had pulled out on steeper terrain in the 1st Yellow Mule no tracks around since we were the first in there. Both were N to NE facing which we had flagged for ourselves due to the wind direction during a post storm. We were suspect of the east side of the compass from north to south. 
 

We chose to play in the flats today, kept slope angles low, and stayed out from under avy terrain - Still had a blast. Didn’t dig today (sorry), but storm totals listed seem pretty accurate. Honestly, I expected a bit more action today, but I got enough info from those two spots to be pretty conservative. 

Ice crust on trees from freezing rain last Saturday Dec 28 now covered by rime ice.