Date of Observation: 01/05/2023
Zone: Northwest Mountains
Route Description: Below treeline, NE aspect.
Observed avalanche activity: Yes
Avalanches: Pockets the Clown looks to have jumped drainages and become a bit more widespread and angrier in his activity bouncing around aspects and wreaking some havoc. One that had pulled out previously on a shaded north aspect below treeline ran down the creek bed spilling out nearby a common skin track. Another one on a S/SE aspect hit a common snowmobile route. Not big but still reached it. Also, pocket had pulled out on the steepest pitch of our descent, probably two days ago as there was some new snow in the avalanche path
Weather: It felt warm, and then felt cold. Saw some rollerballs on S/SW aspects around 1:30. Snow on the skin track wall facing SW got warm enough to cause sticking at 2 p.m. Winds out of the SW (?) whipped up temporarily up high around 1 p.m. transporting snow.
Snowpack: Top 14 inches was thicker than previous two days on similar aspect in a different drainage. No signs of instability where we skied today.
