| OCR Text |
Show Snow Crusts A. Form B. I. Breakable: Will not support weight of skier making slow turn. II. Unbreakable: Supports the weight of skier making slow turn. III. Variable: Breakable and unbreakable crusts interspersed. Types I. Wind crust: II. Windslab: III. Suncrust: IV. Rain crust: Forms by wind blowing across or against a slope. Rippled, non- reflecting surface. Strong bond to undersurface. Fractures locally. Formed by wind action, particularly on lee slopes. Snow is under tension, has poor bond to undersurface. Fractures readily and extensively. May be soft or hard. Smooth chalky surface. Light, thin, polished. Formed by strong sun action for a short period followed by freezing. ( or glaze) Formed by rain falling and freezing as it falls. Very hard. V. Common crust: Rough, granular surface. Formed by freezing and thawing. Becomes corn snow eventually. Slush forms under high temperatures or heavy skiing. VI. Icy crust: A slushy surface frozen. Downhill Movement of Snow A. Sluffs: B. Sunballs: Dry, damp and wet. Minor snow movements, more of a settling process downhill than true snowslides. Generally take place during or soon after a storm. Are not dangerous in themselves; are beneficial in that they relieve tensions and weight. However, they indicate unstable conditions which may lead to slides on slopes which have not sloughed. Balls of wet or damp surface snow, increasing in size as they descend, which run down a slope when sun action is effective. Their activity is an accurate measure of sun action. Generally start under a cliff or trees or wherever a natural reflector exists. Are not in themselves a sign of snow instability but indicate possibility of sun slides. - 124 - |
