Humphreys Cirque Interesting Observations

Good view of Humphreys Cirque (NE, E, SE aspects). Slopes are well filled in, unusually so. As a result, the starting zones are a few degrees steeper, and significantly fewer rock anchors are exposed to help anchor new snow instabilities. If we get unstable snow again, avalanches may run faster, stronger, and further than usual. Even smaller avalanches will pack a bigger punch than usual.

Note that you can just barely see part of an avalanche crown (2' crown line on the rock outcroppings just to the right of the low saddle). This was an approximately D2 avalanche triggered near the end of the Spring Equinix Storm Cycle (March 24). Blowing snow covered most of the evidence of this avalanche. It may have covered evidence of other avalanches during that storm cycle.

Until today, temperatures have been well below average. It's more like a winter snowpack, not a late March snowpack.

Stay Safe, Troy Marino

Photo from David White