Location: Paradise Divide Area
Date of Observation: 02/22/2020
Name: Joey Carpenter
Subject: Pdivide ATL
Aspect: North, North East, East, South East, South
Elevation: 11-12.6k
Avalanches: S Aspect, R2D2.5, ATL, appearing to have run in recent days along the ridge connecting Bellview summit and W maroon pass. Observed from very far away but appeared to be over 1200ft wide (map estimate). Unable to estimate crown depth even through binos.
Large chunk of cornice broke off E side of Baldy within the last day or so. Did not appear to initiate a slab but large chunks made it well into the Quigley basin.
Weather: Low clouds filtered sun for most of the morning to keep snow surfaces above 11k dry. Temperatures remained warm and winds were calm. Clouds built throughout morning to our SW but didn’t make it to upper elevations by the time we left around 130p.
Snowpack: Firm, character building turns up high on any slope that has been exposed to solar in recent days. Shaded slopes were much better. Sastrugi skied well where it hadn’t been cooked off. Variable depth near wind scoured and sun baked ridge lines made for cautious route finding when choosing a decent. Tried to pick the deepest fetch we could find.
Massive cornices have built on the E side of Baldy above Quigley creek.
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