Quick report
- Cracking
- isolated
- Collapsing
- isolated
Despite limited feedback on smaller test features on our ascent, we found reactive storm slabs on north aspects near treeline. Slabs were easily triggered with ski cuts, just over a foot thick, and broke up to 120' wide, failing just above the storm interface. We found quieter conditions below treeline except for many rollerballs and developing wet loose concerns below 11.3k as we left this afternoon.
Prior to ski cutting numerous slabs along the top of Schuylkill Ridge, we observed minimal signs of instability on our uproute. We targeted a few steep, windloaded slopes and observed minor cracking, both a few inches thick and up to 18" deep on the 4/26 crust, less than 2' long. We also noticed a couple of small collapses while breaking trail.Weather
- Cloud Cover
- broken
- Wind Loading
- previous
- Rain Elevation
- N/A
- Recent Snowfall
- 35
- Snow Avail For Transport
- moderate amounts
35 cm of relatively dense snow that fell yesterday and last night. A few very light snow showers this morning. Minimal wind drifting observed today, evidence of previous drifting with 60 cm drifts on E/NE aspects at ridgetop. Sun started breaking through the clouds this afternoon and created a greenhouse feel.
Avalanche
- Size
- D1.5
- Type
- SS
- Count
- 7
- Aspect
- NE
- Trigger
- N
- Elevation
- 12200 ft
We triggered numerous soft slabs breaking about a foot deep on northerly aspects at 11,500' on Schuylkill Ridge. Each of the 4 starting zones that we ski cut produced avalanches, D1.5 to D2 in size. We could see a few small naturals that ran during the storm on higher elevation slopes.