Lawine

Salt Creek Bowl

Caleb MerrillNorthern Wallowas
Auf der Karte ansehen

Quick report

These avalanches involved moist snow.  They ran at a moderate pace- faster than wet loose avalanches, but not quite as fast as a dry loose avalanche.  

We intentionally ski-cut several steeper rollovers at 7500', which entrained the 6" of new snow on an older snow surface.

Weather

Air Temp
33
Cloud Cover
obscured
Wind Loading
light
Rain Elevation
4,000'
Recent Snowfall
18
Snow Avail For Transport
moderate amounts

Low visibility- in the clouds all day. Light wind from variable directions. Temperatures warmed in the afternoon and at lower elevations. Much of the new snow was melting from the trees below 7,000'.

Snowpack

4" of moist snow was at the Salt Creek Summit around mid-day.  We found 6-7" of new snow above 7500'.  The new snow sat atop a melt-freeze crust or (moist-wet) melt forms.  Little wind transport had occured.  

Avalanche

Size
D1.5
Type
L
Aspect
NE
Trigger
AS
Elevation
7500 ft

Multiple D1.5 intentionally triggered loose snow avalanches. The snow was moist, not wet. The reactivity was touchy on terrain that was steeper than 30 degrees.