Date of Observation: 12/16/2016
Name: MR
Aspect: North, North East, South
Elevation: 10,000-11,200
Avalanches: Widespread shooting cracks at all elevations and aspects up and down. All of this and the following was in the storm snow, no evidence of activity further down in the snowpack until the end of the tour:
Intentionally triggered by ski cut r2d1 slide in rock. Ski cuts on big produced widespread cracking and r1d1. Natural r2d1 in big looked like it ran late in the overnight storm. Skier triggered r2d1 on the last convexity in big, not surprising. Remote triggered r1d1 slide on the south aspect from the ridge.
multiple natural r1d1.5 slides on the northeast aspect wrapping back around toward friendly finish, appeared to go late in the overnight storm. It looked like the face above friendly finish that often rips has not yet, so it’s probably ripe to go.
Weather: blowing wind and snow, s-3 and maybe more – 5 inches on the car and sleds after 4 hours out in the morning
Snowpack: New snow 14-16 inches, plus the 5 or so that fell during the morning. Consistent midstorm instability 4-6 inches down, 8 or more inches down by the end of the tour. Didn’t investigate closely, maybe due to upside down heavy morning snow on top of lighter snow during the night?
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