Date of Observation: 03/08/2021
Name: Zach Guy and Jack Caprio
Zone: Northwest Mountains
Location: Mt. Emmons
Aspect: North East, South East
Elevation: 9500-12200′
Avalanches: Nothing new
Weather: Light snowfall, about 1″ of accumulation, moderate westerly winds with light transport at ridgetop, and overcast skies until about 3:30 p.m. Skies started clearing after that.
Snowpack: Snow surfaces remained dry at all elevations on northerly aspects, with some minor facet sluffing at lower elevations.
On solar slopes, surface crusts remained frozen and supportive on wind-exposed slopes near and above treeline. Below treeline, the crust was punchy (a couple inches thick) midday and thawed by this evening. Boot pen was about shin-deep into wet grains. We dug one pit on a southeast aspect at 10,400′ (see photo). The snowpack was wet throughout; we got moderate, propagating results on wet facets in the lower snowpack. No obvious signs of instability such as collapses, rollerballs, etc.
Photos:
