Quick report
- Collapsing
- isolated
Unstable pit results, recent avalanche activity, and a collapse kept us off of steep terrain near treeline. Below 10,800', we felt comfortable stepping out into steeper avalanche terrain where test results and snowpack structure notably improved, and potential slab size was smaller. A small amount of dust accompanied last night's wind event.
We got one localized collapse on 3/23 layer while stepping out of our skis to dig a pit on wind drifted NE facing slope at 11,300'. We tried to replicate this on other terrain features with no luck. Got a couple of shallow but slopewide collapses on a valley bottom south-facing slope, 6" deep on the wet dust layer below refreezing wet grains and moist recent snow.Weather
- Cloud Cover
- overcast
- Wind Loading
- light
- Rain Elevation
- N/A
- Recent Snowfall
- 6 to 8
- Snow Avail For Transport
- small smounts
Cold front pushed through around 4 p.m. and dropped a quick 2" to 3", along with increasing wind transport as winds shifted to the northwest. No transport in this area before the frontal passage, but I could see drifting off alpine ridgelines on Whetstone, Axtell, and Emmons.
Snowpack
NE aspect 11,300': ECTP 14 on 1mm facets above a crust (F), below a 50 cm soft slab (F to 4F). One collapse while stepping out of skis.
ENE aspect at 10,400': ECTN 23 on a meltfreeze crust with moist facets above, below a 40 cm soft slab. No signs of instability in steep terrain.
Avalanche
- Size
- D2
- Type
- SS
- Aspect
- NE
- Trigger
- N
- Elevation
- 11400 ft
A fresh D2 persistent slab in Racoon Basin (NE aspect NTL), triggered by a small wind slab. Greybird views of nearby peaks (Axtell, Emmons, Whetstone) without any activity visible.