Quick report
- Cracking
- isolated
Time: 11:30 Elevation: 4500’ Aspect: SE Winds: Light, WSW Sky Condition: CLR We were looking at checking out some of the NE facing lines on the way into Huntington, but recent avalanches halfway down Escape Hatch and South Gully kept us away from that side of the ravine. Instead, we went up to the exit of Damnation. There were plenty of wind slabs varying in thickness and hardness with some isolated cracking under our skis as we skinned up through the brush. We dug a quick pit at 4500’ on a SE aspect where we found about 100 cm of total snow. On top, there was a 4F wind slab sitting on top of a thick, K hard crust. We found the persistent weak layer further down with large facets, but felt that the hard crust was bridged well enough to suppress any reaction. A CTN showed the weaker interfaces to be stubborn where we were. Winds and clouds were both absent when we reached the ravine. Some light SW winds came in as we were getting ready to leave around noon, but it was not transporting any snow. On the way up to Hojos afterwards, we observed a larger crown line above the Lion's Head Summer Route. In some glances, it looked as if it could have been a stepdown, but it was hard to tell from the TRT. A newer looking avalanche in the middle of Dodge's Drop was observed as well.
Avalanche
Escape Hatch (NE aspect) and South Gully (NE aspect), both natural