Location: Kebler Pass Area
Date of Observation: 01/08/2018
Name: Ben Pritchett
Subject: Touchy in the Anthracites
Aspect: North, North East, East, South East, South
Elevation: 10,000′ to 11,450′
Avalanches:
SS-ASu-R2/D1.5-O between Big Chute and Sliver. North Aspect, 10,800′.
Weather:
Snowpack: Slabs are becoming stiffer and beginning to show signs of propagating more readily than a week ago. Did several tests near and below treeline on northeast, southeast and south aspects. Found propagating results on all 3 aspects.
On the shady side of the compass, the results illustrate a present avalanche problem. We found rampant collapsing in any open terrain features, failing below the holiday slab.
On the southeast and south aspects the test results highlight problems to come as we add additional snow load. Tests failed below a nasty crust-facet combination ~50 cm down on a southeast aspect, then failed on facets above that same crust on the south aspect. With more load, expect the Persistent Slab avalanche problem distribution to expand.
Photos:
rampant cracking in any open terrain features on the shady side of the compass.
a cross section of our persistent slab avalanche problem. This snowpack is what’s collapsing and avalanching right now.
surface hoar got buried last night up to around 11,000′ in open terrain between Northwest to East aspects.
SS-ASu-R2/D1.5-O. North aspect, 10,800′, just rider’s right of Big Chute.