Date of Observation: 02/28/2023
Name: Mark Robbins
Zone: Northwest Mountains
Route Description: the usual anthracites shots
Observed avalanche activity: Yes
Avalanches: third party member in ziggins rode a little further left than the first two, who skied right of the main gully with no reactivity. Entering the main gully right of the windlip/cornice, it broke, and while the rider cut right, it ran with fast energy the full track of ziggins to the bench. I didn’t see it but it sounds like most or all of the windlip broke and ran. Entrained storm snow but no other propagating or stepping down.
wind-lips on right side of big chute fractured with shooting cracks when skiing up to them. Stomped some off, which broke easily but didn’t run far and didn’t produce any results.
Weather: the wind was indeed violent, tho mellowed as the day went on. Snow was coming down heavy most of the time, with the skin track partially to fully filled in between laps with new snowfall and wind transport.
Snowpack: Thick 8 inches of new snow with a little graupel in the mix, with an additional 4-6 or so increasingly fluffy snow falling during the day.