Date of Observation: 03/24/2021
Name: Eric Murrow
Zone: Northwest Mountains
Location: Kebler Pass Corridor
Aspect: North, North East, East
Elevation: Below treeline
Avalanches: no, recent avalanches observed. Spotted one old crown on SE aspect below treeline in Elk Basin.
Weather: Mostly cloudy skies with light snowfall throughout the day. Around 1 – 2 inches by morning with an additional inch during the day. Light winds below treeline.
Snowpack: Traveled across a number of east and northeast slopes below treeline that previously avalanched in early February. Around 90cm of settled snow has accumulated on bed surfaces with HS around 125cm in top of the start zone. No concerning test results found (ECTN 12 on mid-March facet/crust interface down 40cm). On an east aspect found ice columns have formed from previously meltwater draining through much of the snowpack, but still short of reaching the ground. Below 10,500 feet only the shadiest, north aspects remained dry below recent snow. Sunnier shoulder aspects have a variety of soft crusts near the surface from multiple small snows over the past week. Dust layer observed down around 6 – 8 inches in this area.