Date of Observation: 01/09/2023
Name: Eric Murrow
Zone: Northwest Mountains
Route Description: Washington Gulch Road to southern side of Baldy.
Observed avalanche activity: No
Avalanches:
Weather: Overcast skies by around 11 am. Periodic light snowfall during the afternoon added up to just less than one inch. Moderate westerly winds with strong gusts at upper elevations. Blowing snow and flagging off the highest terrain.
Snowpack: I rolled through southerly aspects through 11,800 feet checking on surface crust formation from the past few days. A barely discernable crust formed on east aspects that slowly increased in thickness as I swung into southeast, south, and southwest aspects. South and southwest terrain developed a 3cm crust. The snow below the crusts remain soft, but faceting was quite minimal; no real surprise as this snow accumulated last Friday.
A test profile on a southeast slope at 10,000′ (depth 175cm) did not produce any propagating results on the weak layer below the Holiday Slab. Weak layers in the middle and bottom of the snowpack are 4-finger hardness and show signs of rounding.
I did not find any Surface Hoar on my tour around Washington Gulch from the humid air this past weekend.
Photos:-
- A test profile from a southeast slope with a depth of 175cm near Elkton. No propagating results. Weak layers remain softer than the slab above but are showing signs of rounding.
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- A 3 cm surface crust from a south slope. Not supportive to skis.
