Valanga

Paradise

Andy HarringtonWest Slopes South
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Quick report

It was a hot and sunny day, unless you were getting pounded by the wind, then it was a warm and sunny day. Actively blowing snow was observed by Anvil Rock and the upper mountain throughout the day due to moderate to strong winds. 

The wind may have helped keep the full extent of the wet cycle at bay, but there were plenty of new loose avalanches, rollerballs, and pinwheels throughout Paradise and over in the Tatoosh. Easterlies were the first to go, and in the afternoon, westerlies followed. Wet slides as large as D2 were spotted, and most sun-exposed slopes had rollerballs and pinwheels by day's end.

The skiing wasn't particularly good, unfortunately. 

Widespread wet avalanche activity was observed on sun exposed slopes - wet loose avalanches, rollerballs, pinwheels, and sagging/failing cornices.

Weather

Bright blue skies and sunshine. There was a moderate to strong wind in exposed areas, particularly above Pan Face.

Snowpack

The wetting front ranged from roughly 5-15cm in most places I looked. Moist snow was found on all aspects, even the few shaded northerly slopes I traveled on.

The 3/9 interface was down roughly 56cm and appeared not to be much of a concern where I dug. A layer 26cm down was repeatedly highlighted with small column tests but did not propagate during an ECT.

Avalanche

A slab avalanche occurred at Upper Cornice at roughly 1:00pm. It was triggered by dribbers falling off the cornice above. Older, larger slabs were spotted on the upper mountain, mostly in terrain with a northerly tilt.