Marias Pass
Quick report
-Sheltered terrain above 6000' had 6-12" of soft snow from the latest storm resting on top of a firm and supportable crust. In the alpine this crust was so firm it forced me onto the front points of my crampons in steeper areas. -Wind slabs above 6000' were 2-4+' thick. I was unable to pop out any slabs or get any cracking on test slopes. -Sunny aspects were cooked today and a new surface sun crust was forming as slopes moved into the shade later in the day. -Witnessed 4-5, D1-1.5 dry loose avalanches run on some very steep sunny slopes in the late morning. -Many other D1-1.5 dry loose avalanches observed in the surrounding alpine terrain on steep rocky slopes. -Saw one recent shallow soft slab crown, likely failed in the past 48 hours.
Weather
- Cloud Cover
- few
- Wind Loading
- previous
- Recent Snowfall
- 30
- Snow Avail For Transport
- moderate amounts
Clear and cold in the morning with temps in the teens. Warming and increasing clouds as the day progressed. Remarkably little wind, mostly calm, even up in the alpine.
Avalanche
- Size
- D1.5 R1
- Type
- L
- Count
- 2
- Aspect
- SE
- Trigger
- N
- Elevation
- 7800 ft
Watched 4-5 events on this face beginning around 1100 hours. Multiple older events on this face and most other similar steep terrain (both sunny and shady aspects) in the surrounding area.