Location: Paradise Divide Area
Date of Observation: 03/11/2020
Name: Zach Kinler
Subject: Elkton Plot and BTL NE
Aspect: North East, East
Elevation: 9,000′-10,400′
Avalanches: No new avalanches observed.
Weather: Overcast with off and on snow showers, S2 max. 1.5″ of wet accumulations above 10,000′. Light down valley NW breeze with temps in the mid-30s.
Snowpack: At the Elkton Study Plot, the 152 cm snowpack has gone isothermal and is moist to the ground. Free water has pooled and frozen very consistently along multiple MFcr in the upper snowpack. There is no persistent slab concern in this snowpack as previous weak layers are now ice lens’ or moist, rounded and un-reactive. This site receives strong solar radiation this time of year and is tilted slightly south.
On a NE slope at 10,000′, HS was the same but the overall structure was quite different. There was no free water or crusts in this pack. The February snow is a Fist-1F slab resting over 4F rounding facets. This snowpack was nearly isothermal and slightly moist however faceted layers are still weak and moderate ECTP results were observed at the 2/3 interface(2mm facets). While unlikely to trigger currently, a large loading event may still stress this snowpack.
Elkton Plot
Anthracite Mesa