Date of Observation: 04/05/2023
Name: Zach Guy
Zone: Northwest Mountains
Route Description: Mt. Axtell, traveled mostly on N to E aspects to 11,900′.
Observed avalanche activity: Yes
Avalanches: Skier triggered and observed a few natural loose avalanches, small in size (D1). Ski cut a small wind slab about 6′ wide, 12″ deep on a crossdrifted north facing slope NTL (D1). There was a thin natural windslab below ridgeline in 4th Bowl, about 4″ deep.
Weather: Partly to mostly cloudy with a few afternoon flurries (S-1). Light winds, no transport.
Snowpack: About 4″ to 5″ of storm snow, delineated by a prominent dust layer near the bottom of the storm. I found a few drifts up to a foot thick in typical locations; ski cuts and stomps were unproductive except one small pocket. It seems most of the wind transport here happened early in the storm before there was much snow available for transport. The last few inches of snow were relatively unaffected by wind and also concealed some of the previous drifting textures.
Photos:
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Shallow sluffing on a very steep, BTL slope where the snow surface was starting to get moist.
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Stomped around above a few slopes where I thought I might get some wind slab feedback but they were quiet.
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Skier triggered a small wind slab on a steep, unsupported feature.
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A small natural loose avalanche in the Pencil.
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A very thin wind slab on 4th Bowl
Estimated avalanche date: 04/05/2023
Number of Avalanches: 2
Location
Location: Mount Axtell
Location Specific:
Start Zone Elevation: NTL: Near Tree Line
Aspect: NE
Characteristics
Trigger: Skier
Trigger modifier:
Type: Loose
Failure Plane: New/Old interface
Size
Relative Size: R1 very small
Destructive Size: D1- Relatively harmless to people
Avg. crown height (inches): 5
Avg. width (feet):
Avg. vertical run (feet):
Involvements
# of people caught:
# of partial burials:
# of full burials:
Additional comments:
Estimated avalanche date: 04/05/2023
Number of Avalanches: 1
Location
Location: Mount Axtell
Location Specific:
Start Zone Elevation: NTL: Near Tree Line
Aspect: E
Characteristics
Trigger: Natural
Trigger modifier:
Type: Loose
Failure Plane: New/Old interface
Size
Relative Size: R1 very small
Destructive Size: D1- Relatively harmless to people
Avg. crown height (inches):
Avg. width (feet):
Avg. vertical run (feet):
Involvements
# of people caught:
# of partial burials:
# of full burials:
Additional comments: Pencil, ran this morning from solar warming.
Estimated avalanche date: 04/05/2023
Number of Avalanches: 1
Location
Location: Mount Axtell
Location Specific:
Start Zone Elevation: NTL: Near Tree Line
Aspect: N
Characteristics
Trigger: Skier
Trigger modifier: Controlled
Type: Soft Slab
Failure Plane:
Size
Relative Size: R1 very small
Destructive Size: D1- Relatively harmless to people
Avg. crown height (inches): 12
Avg. width (feet): 6
Avg. vertical run (feet):
Involvements
# of people caught:
# of partial burials:
# of full burials:
Additional comments: Small crossdrifted wind slab, Wang Chung
Estimated avalanche date: 04/04/2023
Number of Avalanches: 1
Location
Location: Mount Axtell
Location Specific:
Start Zone Elevation: ATL: Above Tree Line
Aspect: NE
Characteristics
Trigger: Natural
Trigger modifier:
Type: Soft Slab
Failure Plane: Within storm snow
Size
Relative Size: R1 very small
Destructive Size: D1- Relatively harmless to people
Avg. crown height (inches): 4
Avg. width (feet): 30
Avg. vertical run (feet):
Involvements
# of people caught:
# of partial burials:
# of full burials:
Additional comments: 4th Bowl. Very thin, soft wind slab, likely ran late yesterday or today.
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