Quick report
- Cracking
- isolated
- Collapsing
- isolated
We went to get a closer look at the previously reported large slide off the north side of Gothic. The avalanche was D3 in size, with debris piles extending several hundred yards 10 to 15 feet deep on average. There were several crowns spanning north to southeast aspects that either released sympathetically or were triggered by overrunning debris. We examined the lowermost crown on an east aspect (see profile). There, the crown averaged 4 to 5 feet thick and failed close to the ground on the January 5th facet layer (1.5-2 mm, 4F) under pencil hard slab. In this location the February 2nd interface was small-grained facets which looked relatively strong and healed up.
No signs of instability involving older layers underfoot today. One localized collapse and crack in a fresh wind drift about 10" deep. Several natural wind slabs and some natural loose activity in the new snow.Weather
- Cloud Cover
- scattered
- Wind Loading
- light
- Recent Snowfall
- 15 to 25
- Snow Avail For Transport
- moderate amounts
About 5" of new snow near valley floor and 10" above treeline. Drifting observed on some alpine ridgelines, while others were quiet.
Snowpack
The new snow got moist on east and southeast aspects and was forming a soft crust by the afternoon once clouds started building. Below that, the most recent crust is 2 to 3 inches thick on east aspects below treeline and southeast aspects above treeline.
Avalanche
- Size
- D1 R1
- Type
- L
- Count
- 2
- Aspect
- E
- Trigger
- N
- Elevation
- 12500 ft
A handful of shallow avalanches on Gothic in the new snow about 8" to 10" deep, both wind slabs and sluffs.