Date of Observation: 04/14/2021
Name: Zach Kinler Eric Murrow

Zone: Southeast Mountains
Location: Wolverin Basin, Mount Emmons
Aspect: North, North East, East, North West
Elevation: 8,900′ – 11,400′

Avalanches: Observed two unreported Wet Slabs on a northwesterly aspect below treeline from the big warm up during the first week of April. Intentionally triggered a couple of Wet Loose avalanches on northeast slopes below treeline D1 to D2 in size. The D2 was able to gouge to the ground, low elevation slope at 9,800′.
Weather: About an inch of new overnight. Partly cloudy skies, mild air temps, and light winds with moderate gusts on alpine ridges.
Snowpack: Largely traveled on northerly slopes near and below treeline. Shaded slopes at 10,000′ appeared to have meltwater drain very near basal depth hoar, but depth hoar was still angular with little evidence of meltwater infiltration (see photo). As we climbed higher near treeline meltwater on a northeast slope had only moved down around 20cm from the surface (see photo). Shaded slopes above 9,600′ feet still have structures to produce Wet Slab avalanches once the meltwater faucet gets turned back on later this spring. Surface refreeze below around 11,000′ was pretty superficial with wet snow grains lingering just below the crust. We descended a short east-facing slope near treeline around 130pm and found quality corn skiing without too much concern for wet avalanche activity. Cloud cover and winds seemed to keep sunny slopes at upper elevations cooler and prevented them from getting too wet.

Date of Observation: 04/14/2021
Name: billy barr

Zone: Southeast Mountains
Location: Gothic
Weather: Scattered light snow Tuesday and overnight into Wed. with just 1½” new snow and 0.15″ of water. Snowpack sits at 28″, up 1″ from the year’s low. The snowpack did not harden much overnight so could get quite rotten if we get decent sun as there was a bit of clearing starting just before sunrise. Breezy overnight and currently around 3-6 mph SW. Not much to write about but it is the heaviest snow ‘storm’ this month so far.

Date of Observation: 04/11/2021
Name: Zach Guy

Zone: Southeast Mountains
Location: Mt. Emmons
Aspect: North East, East
Elevation: Below treeline

Avalanches: Skier triggered a couple of shallow wet loose slides in very steep terrain. They didn’t run far or entrain more than the top few inches of mush.
Weather: Another beautiful day. Light winds below treeline. Temps in the 40’s. Clear skies.
Snowpack: Early afternoon tour on suspect below treeline slopes to assess the effects of last night’s warming trend. Ski cut wet sluffs were confined to very steep terrain and are still not entraining volume or gouging deeper than the top few inches. The snowpack is wet throughout with drainage to the ground now well established where we traveled. The snow was supportive to skis but boot pen is thigh deep.

Date of Observation: 04/11/2021
Name: Ben A

Zone: Southeast Mountains
Location: Wolverine Ridge
Aspect: East
Elevation: ATL

Avalanches: Skier triggered very small wet looses on E aspects, and very small dry looses on due north. Both confined to very steep terrain.
Snowpack: Cornice about 100 yards long pulling way back from the Wolverine Ridge. See photos, pretty cool if you’re on the right side of it.

Photos:

Date of Observation: 04/09/2021
Name: Zach Guy and Zach Kinler

Zone: Southeast Mountains
Location: Copper Creek
Aspect: South East, South
Elevation: 9500 – 13000′

Avalanches: Nothing new today. Documented more D1 to D2.5 wet activity and cornice falls from the recent cycle; see photos of the most noteworthy slides. Also crossed a couple of the larger debris piles (D3.5+) I’ve come across from one of the February cycles; one knocked over a few mature trees.
Weather: Cool and breezy up high kept surfaces frozen at ridgetop. Clear skies.
Snowpack: Snowpack looks and feels like a May snowpack. No signs of instability or avalanche problems noted throughout the tour. Snow surfaces stayed frozen or thawed to ideal corn near and above treeline by 12:30 or so. The snowpack stayed mostly supportive to skis below treeline this afternoon, although some valley locations became punchy and unsupportive. Ski cuts on steep pitches where the snow was getting too sloppy didn’t produce anything.

Photos: