Quick report
- Collapsing
- isolated
Drifted terrain features are dangerous. Sheltered areas have a poor, scary structure where the past two weeks of snow have formed a cohesive slab above the 2/2 weak layer. Even though sheltered areas did not show signs of instability, I am very hesitant to step onto steep slopes or terrain with consequences.
A couple of natural avalanches ran off Schuylkill Ridge late Thursday or early Friday and just barely reached to valley floor. While descending a southwesterly slope at 11,000 feet our group experienced a large collapse that spanned several hundred feet; it likely collapsed a crust deep in the snowpack.Weather
- Cloud Cover
- overcast
- Wind Loading
- moderate
- Recent Snowfall
- 35
- Snow Avail For Transport
- moderate amounts
Moderate westerly winds with strong gusts transporting snow near treeline. Settled storm totals in sheltered areas range from 11 to 14 inches. Mostly light snowfall with shorter periods of moderate.snowfall.
Snowpack
Obvious signs of wind loading on near treeline terrain features with some minor cracking and recent avalanche activity on Schuylkill Ridge point to dangerous conditions on drifted terrain. The 2/2 weak layer (surface hoar on westerly slopes) in this area is buried about 80cm deep and didn't make any noise in sheltered areas.
Avalanche
- Size
- D2
- Count
- 3
- Aspect
- NE
- Trigger
- N
- Elevation
- 11300 ft
Several large natural avalanches on Schuylkill Ridge's up-valley end in the "Great Wide Open" area. Poor visibility prevented seeing much terrain. I didn't observe any natural activity on Happy Chutes or Climax Chutes.