Date of Observation: 04/04/2023
Name: Eric Murrow
Zone: Northwest Mountains
Route Description: Kebler Pass to Scarp Ridge on snowmobile and ski tour around the Anthracites.
Observed avalanche activity: Yes
Avalanches: Visibility was poor much of the day, but I could see storm snow debris on a drifted easterly slope near treeline at the top of the Playground in the Anthracites. This feature has a large fetch for gathering snow.
Weather: Mostly cloudy skies with consistent light snow with a few short periods of S2. Storm total of 6 inches around 4pm at 11,000 feet. Moderate wind speeds on near treeline ridgeline. It is hard to miss the dust at the base of the storm snow, yuck.
Snowpack: Crusts at the old snow surface, just over 11,000 feet, were 3-4cm on southeast slopes, 2cm on east terrain, and thinned away as you move into northeast aspects. North-facing slopes in this area remain fully dry and provided nice turns. I was able to produce a few shooting cracks on drifted near treeline features, but fetches were relatively small so wind slab formation was only a few inches thick.
-
- Shallow shooting cracks on a drifted northerly feature in the Anthracites.
-
- About 6 inches of storm snow resting on a dusty crust on a NE facing slope.
-
- A supportive to skis crust on a southeast-facing slope at 11,300 feet.
-
- A 2 cm crust on an east slope just over 11,000 feet.
