Rescue Creek

We headed to the Rescue Creek drainage today, looking for evidence of the past week's avalanche cycle.

• Travel into the basin was fast on the supportable crust that was knife-hard to 4600 feet. 
• Above 4600 feet, the crust became gradually less supportable and skinning was challenging.
• Using binoculars, we spotted multiple fracture lines on an NE aspect approximately at 6,700 feet (see avalanche tab for more).
• Wet avalanche activity was observed on many slopes.  Most appeared to be wet loose (soft slab) debris rather than wet slab avalanches.
• Runnels dominated most of the surface snow.  They were spotted on every slope aspect and initiated from the tops of ridgelines.
• One seasonal glide crack appeared to be opening on a SE aspect, at 7000 feet. 

• A moist, stout surface crust (like an ice block) was found to be 30 cm thick in some locations.
• The 12/22/23 crust was buried 60 cm from the surface and had facets above and below the crust. Facets were moist.
• Facets at the base of the snowpack were moist to wet.