Quick report
Several large avalanches on NW-N-NE slopes were observed that likely happened during our most recent storm. The largest avalanche was 400'-500' wide. These avalanches were all above, 9500' and in wind-loaded terrain. On shady slopes, 2' of snow is on the ground and ~3 feet near ridge tops on wind-loaded slopes.
Weather
- Air Temp
- Teens and 20s
- Cloud Cover
- clear
- Wind Loading
- previous
- Rain Elevation
- 8000
- Recent Snowfall
- 0
- Snow Avail For Transport
- small smounts
Clear skies and calm-light S/SW wind along ridge top. Parking area was 14F at 10AM
Snowpack
HS: At 7500' along Pole Creek Road, snow depth started at ~10cm, increasing to 60cm by 9000'. 70-90cm on N facing, wind loaded slopes at 9600'.
Rain line: 1-2cm rain crust below 7500'. Near 8300' this crust was thin and decomposing. Above this, no crust was found.
Surface: Primarily a mix of DF, near surface FC, and SH. By 2:30PM, surface snow below 9500' was moist on south facing slopes, and was beginning to refreeze as the sun left the valley.
At 9600' on an N facing previously wind loaded slope, ~11cm of weak Nov snow is soft and faceted (4F, 1-2mm). With ~80cm of 1F trending to F above that (See photo). Stability tests: ECTP27 & ECTP 29 @ 11cm. Of note: there is ~10cm of 1F hard snow separating early Nov FC and the most recent series of storms & was unreactive in stability tests.
At and below, 9600' on S-SW.: No "old" Nov snow was found and no facets near the ground. Below 8500' snow near the ground was moist on S-SW.
Avalanche
- Size
- D2 R2
- Count
- 3
- Aspect
- NE
- Trigger
- N
- Elevation
- 9600 ft
All significant avalanches observed were on NW-N-NE aspects. All these avalanches were above 9500' near ridge tops in alpine terrain. These avalanches ranged from ~100' to 500' wide. I saw two other small avalanches were observed on E & SE facing steep slopes near 9500'.