Date of Observation: 12/31/2020
Name: Zach Guy
Zone: Northwest Mountains
Location: Mount Emmons
Aspect: North, North East, North West
Elevation: 9000’ to 12,200’
Avalanches: Remotely triggered a large (D2) persistent slab from about 350 feet away. The slab was about 3 feet thick and 300 feet wide, on a north aspect above treeline.
Handful of previously unreported natural persistent slabs to add to the list from the last cycle. D2 up Peeler basin (E, ATL) and several D2s in Wolverine and Redwell Basin (NW, NTL).
Weather: Partly cloudy midday with clear skies on either end. Light winds
Snowpack: Large, rumbling collapses on low angle terrain still the norm on almost every open slope or small clearing in trees. Collapses are getting a little more stubborn now; sometimes it was the first person breaking trail, sometimes the 2nd or 3rd in line, and sometimes it requires a hard stomp.
Snow surface is faceting. Below treeline slopes that have previously avalanched in mid-December had good stability today.
Photos:
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- Remotely triggered persistent slab, Redwell Basin (N, ATL)
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- Several D2 natural persistent slabs from Monday night’s storm. NW, NTL
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- D2 persistent slab in Peeler Basin
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- The pillow pop test. 2 foot persistent slab below treeline.
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- Shooting cracks and rumbling collapses still almost a sure bet
