Date of Observation: 02/22/2023
Name: Eric Murrow Evan Ross
Zone: Northwest Mountains
Route Description: Standard Schuylkill Ridge up track from OBJ. 9,000ft to 10,500ft. Primarily NE-E
Observed avalanche activity: Yes
Avalanches: Skier triggered a small 12″ storm slab on a NE facing slope below treeline. Skier triggered a couple of small wind slabs on SE and NE near treeline.
Weather: Started out with a blizzard. Then it got kind of nice for an hour. Then the blowing snow became intense and exfoliating as the sun temporarily poked through to say hi. Roller Coaster
Snowpack: New snow was in the 10 to 12″ range. Shortly after the morning blizzard the top couple of inches was reactive as a storm slab and produced some very small natural avalanches BTL. By the time we got into steep terrain those storm slabs had already become less reactive. Nearing ridgeline we started managing and triggering wind slabs. The blowing snow was intense. We triggered another 12″ storm slab on the descent.
Photos:-
- Easy Shovel Tilt Test Results on the 2/19 interface. In sheltered areas, the slab remains very soft and did not produce signs of instability other than the skier triggered avalanche in the next image.
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- Skier triggered slide on a sheltered NE-facing slope below treeline. This slide broke about 12″ deep on the 2/19 interface. Second skier down this feature triggered the slide.
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- Small wind slab triggered on the up track.
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- Intense winds blowing snow on an exposed ridgleine.
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- A test profile on an east slope looking at potential Persistent Slab issues with facet/crust layers. This location did not accumulate enough snow yet for avalanches to break on crust/facet layers in the upper snowpack.
