Date of Observation: 12/08/2022
Name: Zach Guy
Zone: Northwest Mountains
Route Description: Morning rec tour in Kebler Pass corridor, traveled on south, southwest, and northeast aspects below treeline, up to 10,400′
Observed avalanche activity: No
Avalanches: Poor visibility of suspect terrain.
Weather: Steady west wind, generally moderate speeds on exposed ridgelines with light to moderate blowing snow. Light snowfall, with about 4″ of new overnight.
Snowpack: Traveled primarily on slopes that were bare during our November dryspell for a low-stress day. Winds were forming fresh drifts up to 18″ thick on cross drifted features that were easy to recognize and avoid. Yesterday’s sunshine formed a soft crust under last night’s new snow, but the riding quality was still fun. As soon as we wandered into the land of the forbidden fruit (NE aspect), we got frequent rumbling collapses, sometimes multiple collapses on the same slope. Test pits produced easy propagating results on the 11/28 facet layer (F, 2-3mm) under a 70 cm slab (F down to 1F). The slope collapsed both before digging the pit, and again after we were leaving.
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- Fresh localized drifts up to 18″ thick were cracking.
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- Steady wind transport all morning on exposed terrain
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- NE aspect BTL. ECTP3 down 70 cm. Numerous collapses on slopes like this.
