Date of Observation: 02/09/2021
Name: Eric Murrow Zach Kinler
Zone: Southeast Mountains
Location: Snodgrass north side
Aspect: North, North East, East
Elevation: 9,400′ – 11,200′
Avalanches: nothin new observed…visibility obscured much of the day.
Weather: Mild temperatures, overcast skies, and light to very light snowfall. 1.5″ new at 4pm.
Snowpack: We ascended normal skin track and wandered a bit off the track near northerly features that do not see traffic without signs of instability. Traversed across the top of a handful of north-facing start zones that do not appear to have seen many if any people in the past 4 or so days. The mid-January weak layer is down about 50cm on east and northeasterly aspects between 10 and 11k. Pole probing required a bit of sensitivity to feel where Jan weak layer was while traveling across terrain. Poked a quick hole in a sheltered spot around 10,300′ and found HS around 125cm. Test results produced no result or moderate ECTN scores on mid-January weak layer; the overlying slab was around 50cm and up to 1 finger hard. Looking at the mid-January weak layer facets showed some slight signs of rounding and increased hardness. Early December weak layer produced moderate ECTP results without any signs of increased hardness, still only F+ hard Depth Hoar. No signs of instability while traveling through small slopes into the low 30 degrees in steepness. Pole probing in shallower places in the area due to wind erosion showed a generally weak snowpack.