Location: Cement Creek Area
Date of Observation: 01/15/2020
Name: Evan Ross
Subject: Cement Creek Check In
Elevation: 9,000-11,500
Avalanches: Recent natural avalanches included a couple large persistent slabs on northerly facing terrain near and above treeline, and several small wind slabs primary on easterly facing slopes.
Weather: Few clouds and calm winds.
Snowpack: The general summary would be a variable snowpack that is heavily wind effected on everything but the most protected lower elevations areas. I didn’t encounter any concerning snowpack structure at those lower elevations slopes. Cross-loading at those lower elevations didn’t appear to be an issue either. At mid and upper elevations the snowpack is raked by the recent winds. Lots of bare ground, wind-board, or stubborn hard slabs. Easterly facing slopes had the most continuous snowpack. For the area, these wind-loaded easterly facing slopes would be the most concerning slopes for triggering a persistent slab avalanche.
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- Typical above treeline scene. Raked by winds on westerly slopes with hard slabs on easterly facing slopes
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- Recent D2 Persistent Slab. East, 12,000ft
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- Recent Persistent Slabs. N, 11,300ft, Cement Mountain.
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- The only slope cut to produce shooting cracks. Failing in the faceted snowpack below the recent wind slab. East, 11,400ft.
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- The only slope cut to produce shooting cracks. Failing in the faceted snowpack below the recent wind slab. East, 11,400ft.
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- South Side Castle Peak
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- South Side Star Peak
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- Looking toward the Opa’s Hut in Upper Taylor Park
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- Looking over to Brush Creek
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- South Teo
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- East Side Star Pass
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- Easterly Facing Terrain above the Friends Hut
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- Pearl Pass
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- The only slope cut that produced shooting cracks. Failing in the faceted snowpack below the upper wind slab
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- A very soft slab avalanche gouging into an overall weak snowpack near the valley bottom on Gibson’s Ridge.
