Date of Observation: 01/30/2023
Name: Irwin Guides

Zone: Northwest Mountains
Route Description: Irwin Tenure

Observed avalanche activity: Yes
Avalanches: SS-ASc-R1-D1-I 35cm X 100′ X 80′ EBM below Bender cliff band. Numerous small storm slabs 6-12″ thick E/W aspects NTL.
Weather: Today started out windy to say the least with SW winds in the 40’s for a six hour run and gusts in the 70’s. Mid day things tapered off a bit as winds shifted to the W. Snowed S-1 until this afternoon, snowing S3 at times.
Snowpack: NTL/ATL W was getting scoured until the later part of the day. Significant loading on E. Storm slab became more reactive to AS as the day progressed. Only traveled E in the AM as visibility allowed observed significant loading and wind wales below cliff bands.

Date of Observation: 01/29/2023
Name: Zach Guy

Zone: Southeast Mountains
Route Description: Union Chutes area, up to 11,500′.

Observed avalanche activity: No
Avalanches: No recent natural activity that I could see in this area.
Weather: Mild day, with no snow and light wind where we were, but I could see ongoing snow transport on Whetstone and Gothic Peak.
Snowpack: The mid-January near surface facet layer (the storm interface) is about 8″ to 12″ deep in sheltered terrain below treeline and 16″ to 24″ deep in leeward terrain near treeline. It produced cracking on the few steeper slopes that we ski cut; but felt more stubborn than what I saw yesterday. ECTs produced moderate propagating results on this layer on a drifted slope NTL, as well as hard propagating results on faceted snow near the ground. Because of large cornices guarding leeward features, and wind slabs too thick and stiff here for comfortable ski cuts, I didn’t seek out feedback in the most suspect terrain. HS is 105 near the creek and variable near ridgetop because of winds; 135 cm where we measured.

Date of Observation: 01/29/2023
Name: billy barr

Zone: Southeast Mountains
Route Description: Gothic Townsite

Observed avalanche activity: No
Weather: Saturday snow was very dense and windblown, then a pause overnight with light density snow starting back towards sunrise so it sort of averages out at 3″ new and 0.25″ of water. Strong afternoon winds on Saturday slowing up around 9 p.m. Currently overcast with very light snowfall and a light SW breeze while the snowpack sits at 58″, which is 24% above average for this date. Temperature is a small range after a high of 21F and low of 12F. billy

Date of Observation: 01/28/2023
Name: Zach Guy

Zone: Northwest Mountains
Route Description: Schuylkill Ridge, northeasterly aspects to 11,400′

Observed avalanche activity: Yes
Avalanches: Numerous skier and rider triggered storm slabs from D1 to D1.5, depending on the length and steepness of the terrain. There were also a few naturals that ran earlier in the storm, probably yesterday.
Weather: Light snowfall in the morning, light graupel in the afternoon. Moderate winds with moderate transport at ridgetop.
Snowpack: About 15″ of low density storm snow (F). Reactive storm slabs on terrain features steeper than about 37 degrees. The crowns that I looked at failed within the storm snow on low-density stellar dendrites that fell yesterday, although there is also a small-grained near surface facet layer at the storm interface. No significant drifting where we traveled except just below ridgeline, where slabs were a bit thicker and stiffer, up to 18″, 4F.

Date of Observation: 01/28/2023
Name: Irwin Guides

Zone: Northwest Mountains
Route Description: Irwin Tenure

Observed avalanche activity: Yes
Avalanches: Widespread Touchy Storm Slabs to D1 near and below TL
Weather: OVC, Hi 17/8, WSW 10-25 g30-50, S-1 to S2
Snowpack: Widespread Touchy Storm Slabs reflective of our 16″ HST plus or minus wind transport, limited to D1 in size. There was significant wind transport near and above TL.

Date of Observation: 01/27/2023
Name: Eric Murrow

Zone: Southeast Mountains
Route Description: Slate River TH to Gunsight Pass Road and up through middle portion of Wolverine Basin.

Observed avalanche activity: No
Avalanches: Around 1pm storm totals reached 4″ and slopes steeper than about 38 degrees easily produced Loose Dry avalanches in the storm snow.
Weather: Light snow in the AM increased to moderate rates with a few periods of high-intensity snow. We traveled through reasonably protected areas, but there was a clear increase in wind speeds in the afternoon. Storm totals near 5 inches around 230 pm.
Snowpack: Traveled through east and northeasterly terrain from 9,000 – 11,000 feet. Snow depth ranged from about 120 – 145cm. No cracking or collapsing. I dug a hasty profile on a slope that naturally avalanched around 1/4 and found around 90cm of snow that was generally fist and 4-finger hard. The basal weak layer was intact near the ground and was fist hard. I suspect further down the slope the avalanche that ran on 1/4 scoured into basal weak layers even though basal weak layer was present at the very top of the start zone (see photo). I was able to trigger Loose Dry avalanches in the storm snow on this 200-foot slope that entrained about 10 inches into the snowpack due to the shallow weak snowpack.

Old snow surfaces in this area were comprised of near surface facets around .7mm in size.

Date of Observation: 01/27/2023
Name: Observation to CBAC Via Text Message

Zone: Northwest Mountains
Route Description: East Bowl – Anthracites

Observed avalanche activity: Yes
Avalanches: Kicked off small windslab btl east aspect on a small convex steep roll. 12″ deep ran 30 feet before stopping in flats. Basically end of trees on top pitch of East Bowl where at rolls steep, aka the cirque.
Weather:
Snowpack:

Date of Observation: 01/26/2023
Name: Eric Murrow

Zone: Southeast Mountains
Route Description: Cement Creek TH to Hunter Hill. Skin up SE slopes to 12,000 feet. Skies modest angled northeast slopes 12,000 – 11,600. Skied southeast 12,000 – 10,400.

Observed avalanche activity: Yes
Avalanches: A trio of recent Wind Slabs on east aspects of Hunter Hill above treeline, D1.5 and D2. Looking into the greater Elk Mountains, it was hard to view with marginal lighting but looked like maybe a few other recent wind slabs but the photos were inconclusive.
Weather: Cold temperatures at valley bottom were below zero but slowly increased during day and as we ascended out of the inversion zone. Temps at 12,000 feet maybe hit 10 degrees. Winds out of NW remained light with some moderate gusting. Very little snow transport was observed as most windward surfaces near and above 12,000 feet were stiff and lacked soft snow for transport.
Snowpack: No signs of instability underfoot outside of some minor cracking in drifted snow above treeline. Drifted slabs above treeline were stiff and hard. Depth on southeast slopes in this area ranged from 130 – 150 cm. Depth in a northeast-facing basin was around 160cm near treeline. A test profile produced no concerning results but the mid-December weak layer remains 4-finger hard, under a 100cm slab. with clear signs of rounding (see photo). Snow surfaces remained dry on all aspects and provided excellent skiing where protected from the wind. Near surface facets formed on slopes protected from the wind; sizes are generally .5 – .7mm.

Date of Observation: 01/26/2023
Name: Irwin Guides

Zone: Northwest Mountains
Route Description: Irwin Guides Cat-Ski tenure

Observed avalanche activity: Yes
Avalanches: 1st shot of the season in Eyes of the World ran O/G with a 3# hand charge on an
unsupported slope skiers left below the rock band. Impressive hard slab with car size blocks smoking small
trees.
New World HS-AE-R3-D2.5-O FC (180cm x 40m x 180m)
Weather:
Snowpack: