Date of Observation: 01/27/2023
Name: Eric Murrow
Zone: Southeast Mountains
Route Description: Slate River TH to Gunsight Pass Road and up through middle portion of Wolverine Basin.
Observed avalanche activity: No
Avalanches: Around 1pm storm totals reached 4″ and slopes steeper than about 38 degrees easily produced Loose Dry avalanches in the storm snow.
Weather: Light snow in the AM increased to moderate rates with a few periods of high-intensity snow. We traveled through reasonably protected areas, but there was a clear increase in wind speeds in the afternoon. Storm totals near 5 inches around 230 pm.
Snowpack: Traveled through east and northeasterly terrain from 9,000 – 11,000 feet. Snow depth ranged from about 120 – 145cm. No cracking or collapsing. I dug a hasty profile on a slope that naturally avalanched around 1/4 and found around 90cm of snow that was generally fist and 4-finger hard. The basal weak layer was intact near the ground and was fist hard. I suspect further down the slope the avalanche that ran on 1/4 scoured into basal weak layers even though basal weak layer was present at the very top of the start zone (see photo). I was able to trigger Loose Dry avalanches in the storm snow on this 200-foot slope that entrained about 10 inches into the snowpack due to the shallow weak snowpack.
Old snow surfaces in this area were comprised of near surface facets around .7mm in size.
Photos:-
- A hand hardness on a slope that avalanched on 1/4. Generally a weak snowpack with the basal weak layer intact at the top of the start zone.
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- Loose Dry avalanches were easy to initiate in the storm snow on slopes greater than 38 degrees. This slope is shallow from previous avalanche activity and Loose avalanches entrained about 10 inches into the snowpack as it ran.
