Date of Observation: 03/11/2023
Name: Eric Murrow
Zone: Northwest Mountains
Route Description: Lap up Mount Emmons and snowmobile ride out the Kebler corridor to Horse Ranch Park. Traveled between 1130 and 330pm.
Observed avalanche activity: Yes
Avalanches: I was able to trigger a small avalanche on a drifted feature above treeline into Redwell Basin. Storm totals at this time were around 7 inches and the drifted slab was around 10 inches.
Weather: Consistent snowfall during the afternoon. Snowfall rates of 1 inch per hour or greater. Southwest wind blew at moderate speeds with strong gusts while I was above treeline in the early afternoon. While at the valley bottom later in the afternoon wind speeds appeared to be ramping up. Snowfall totals reached close to 10 inches at 330pm with higher-than-normal densities.
Snowpack: I traveled around simply watching the storm develop, but not enough snow had accumulated by 330 for much to happen. Small Wind Slabs developed by the early afternoon, but sheltered areas had yet to gather enough storm snow to cause much of a problem. I suspect that shortly after I left the mountains storm totals began to increase enough, due to heavy snowfall rates, that shallow Storm Slabs began forming in sheltered areas as well. A Shovel Tilt Test showed a slight density change at the bottom of the storm snow in a location with 8 inches.