Location: Paradise Divide Area
Date of Observation: 01/07/2020
Name: Zach Kinler and Eric Murrow
Subject: Upper Slate River Valley
Aspect: North, North East, East, South East
Elevation: 9,600′-11,000′
Avalanches: No new avalanches observed.
Weather: Bluebird, a gentle whiff of westerly wind would cool us off every once in a while, temps hanging in the mid-upper 20s.
Snowpack: HS in this area averaged ~165cm at 11k on shaded slope. Surface was generally soft with little wind effect in the sheltered terrain traveled however surrounding open slopes at all aspects have been ravaged by the wind either stripping and scalloping the surface or depositing thin hard slabs. Low angle aspects south of east were slightly moist midday while shady aspects remained dry with light surface faceting. Shovel Tilt Test revealed the 1/1, or New Years storm interface, easily slides with 20cm of low density snow above.  Investigated the 12/24 interface which was down 50 cm with a Fist to 1F- slab resting on top. Snowpack tests on this layer were CT23 Q1 and ECTN17. The other interface of interest is the 11/20 Depth Hoar which is rounding with short column test producing a DT21 Q1 result, 30 cm above the ground.
Photos:
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- Test profile photo
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- Shovel Tilt Test reveals planar result 20cm down on New Years storm interface
