Avalanche

Jim Hill Mnt - NE Bowl

Waylon LavigueureStevens Pass
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Quick report

Not many signs of instability anywhere. Most places prone to avalanches already had one come down previously. There was a slight sun crust despite the bowl being 5600-6400' and north facing. Ski pen was as high was 50cm in many places. I tried to skin up old avy chutes as ski pen was only 10-20cm in them. The bowl was good skiing and stability was very good. I did a profile at 6400', which was were I skied down from. Grains were mostly rounded in the lower pack as the temperature gradient has been very low. The moist melt formations found in the lower pack were not present at this elevation. The snow height there was 410cm (161in), which seemed like quite a good pack for how poor the season has been.

Avalanche

Lots of old avalanches above the valley ranging from 4000' to around 5900', all most likely falling on Friday and maybe some on Saturday. The avalanche at 5900' was notable as it was a clear D1 slab avalanche with a crown stretching across about 25-30m on a 45-55 degree slope. Most of the route up on the east side of the bowl was destroyed by avalanches up to around 6000'. They all came down from the ridge.