Date of Observation: 04/15/2022
Name: Evan Ross
Zone: Northwest Mountains
Route Description: Kebler Pass area. 9,500ft to 12,000ft. Various aspects.
Weather: Overcast in the morning, partly cloudy for a bit mid-day, before increasing again in the late afternoon. W or SE winds are still blowing snow at upper elevations.
Snowpack: At near and below treeline elevations the snow service got moist or wet on north to east aspects. Mostly just roller balls on northerly facing slopes and not sure at what elevation the snow surface stayed dry. East was the most reactive at these elevations with small loose wet avalanche activity. Didn’t travel above treeline, looking into the ruby range you could see some roller balls or small loose snow avalanches on steep southerly facing slopes with rock outcrops. Found wind slabs up to a foot thick, but couldn’t get any notable results. Many things are blown off or just not loaded. The wind slab problem felt isolated and stubborn at NTL elevations.
Photos:-
- Roller balls and a couple small loose wet looking avalanches on Axtell extended up to the Quill.
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- Small loose wet. ESE, 11,200ft.
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- Small loose wet. E 11,200ft.
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- SE, 11,900ft. No real wind slab and not much loading here.
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- Small cornice fall between Owen and Purple.
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- Point release avalanches out near E Beckwith.
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- Wind loading onto the north side of Scarps ridge.
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- Wind-loaded north at 12,000ft. Recent storm snow capping the old faceted snow surface. No notable results.
