Date of Observation: 02/24/2023
Name: Evan Ross
Zone: Northwest Mountains
Route Description: Slate River. 9,000ft to 11,000ft. NE-E,S.
Observed avalanche activity: No
Avalanches: None
Weather: Headed out after the morning pulse of wind and snow. Gained Ridgeline around 11am with moderate southwest winds. S-1 to S1 from 10am through mid-day. The snow and wind tapered out in the afternoon.
Snowpack: Traveled cautiously near bigger wind-loaded terrain features. Otherwise skied aggressively with no observed signs of instability. Density changes in the recent storm snow could be observed in small column tests and on wind-loaded test slopes. At 11,000ft a low 34-degree south-facing slope had thick crusts in the upper snowpack, under this past week’s recent snow accumulations.