Avalanches: Widespread natural avalanches in the Happy and Climax Chutes running on the surface hoar layer, 14 -24″ deep. Most slabs were D1 to D2, R1 to R3, but in a few of the larger paths, wall-to-wall propagation and long vertical produced very destructive debris piles by valley bottom, reaching D2.5 or D3 in size. (SS-N-R4-D3-I). It appeared that about 50 to 75% of terrain flushed yesterday or overnight. Today, we remotely triggered two slabs from flat ridgeline and skier triggered another, failing on the same surface hoar layer. These were about 18-24″ deep on N/NE/E aspects NTL. One remotely triggered slide in the main Climax chute was initially ~100 feet wide but pulled in most of the bowl on its way down, over 1000 feet wide. SS-ASr-R4-D2.5-I. The others were narrower (R1/R2) and D2 in size.
Weather: Broken clouds increased to overcast with S-1 to S2 in the afternoon. Light westerly winds with moderate gusts. Cold temps.
Snowpack: Widespread surface hoar buried below a ~35 cm slab below treeline and up to 60 cm slab near treeline, still F to F+ hard. Touchiest snowpack I’ve traveled on all winter. Numerous small collapses below treeline on a gladed ridgeline, and widespread, large collapsing near treeline as glades became more sparse and slabs became thicker. A few shooting cracks observed. One crown profile on a NE aspect BTL showed hard, sudden collapse on the surface hoar in compression tests and no propagation in ECTs (I wonder if the layer already had collapsed above the crown, disrupting test results?). A profile on a SE aspect NTL showed multiple easy sudden collapse compression results and no propagation in ECT. (CT1, Q1 x 2), on the surface hoar layer above a thin crust.

Peanut Lake Road

Infrequent path near Lupine Trail. SE aspect.

Wide propagation, Climax Chutes

Destructive debris below Climax

Remotely triggered D2.5 or D3 in Climax Chutes. Wide propagation, ran full track.

Remotely triggered D2 in Climax Chutes.

D2 Natural in Climax Chutes

1/19 surface hoar layer the culprit in all slides observed today.

Hangfire was easily triggered

Natural D2 on surface hoar. Peanut Lake Road

Avalanches: Intentional ski cuts produced the following:
Multiple SS ASc- R1-D1-I First bowl
Multiple SS-ASc-R2D2-I Second bowl
I think about 9 of these in total from first and second bowl. Some of these avalanched on slopes as low as 32*

We noticed one skier triggered D2 avalanche in 3rd bowl from yesterday.
Weather: Scattered skies with calm winds in the morning transitioning to overcast skies with moderate down valley (gothic) winds in the PM. Snowing s-1 at 1130 transitioning to s3 at 1430. Air temps in the high teens getting colder in the afternoon.
Snowpack: Touchy slab avalanches failing on the 1/19 surface hoar interface observed on the E-NE side of snodgrass today. All avalanches and shooting cracks failed 45-55cm down on the preserved surface hoar layer. This soft slab seems to be stiffening up throughout the day as shooting cracks increased in size and ski quality went down. The sensitivity to this instability is on the rise. This persistent weak layer is sitting above a bomber mid pack from our early january mega storm of 1f rounding facets. We did not notice any signs of blowing or drifted snow from the 1/23 wind event as we expected.

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Avalanches: Visibility in and out, mostly out, but it appeared there was a natural on the far skiers left side of main Coney’s bowl that came off of that prominent rib but did not continue very far. Got one skier triggered pocket on lower roller 30-35 degrees at top of pocket (see photo)
Weather: snowing, random breezes around 10 mph
Snowpack: Right side up cake, upside down cake, I’ve never understood those so lets just call the top 16 inches a s**t sandwich with lighter snow on top of denser snow sitting on top of lighter snow, on top of a reactive layer.

connies

Avalanches: Widespread natural avalanche cycle below treeline yesterday or last night. D1’s to D2’s in size, crowns looked to be about 10″-14″ deep, and some very wide propagation, full path. Probably failed on 1/19 surface hoar. Most paths viewed were E or NE (Gibson Ridge, Peanut Road, Climax Chutes), but there were also a few on southerly. Looked at one roadside crown on a SW aspect and it failed on SH above a crust. Also a D2 in Coon Bowl  (SE)and D1.5ish crown in Red Lady Bowl (SE).
Weather:
Snowpack:

D1 Peanut Lake Road

D1.5 Peanut Lake Road

D1 Peanut Lake Road

D2 Peanut Lake Road

D1.5 Peanut Lake Road

D1.5 Peanut Lake Road

D1.5 Peanut Lake Road

D2 Gibson Ridge. Wide propagation

D1.5 or D2. Gibson Ridge

D1.5 Peanut Lake Road

Several D2 to D2.5’s Climax Chutes. Very wide propagation

Snowplow triggered, SW aspect Slate River Road.

Avalanches:
Weather: There was 4″ new snow between 7 and 11 a.m. yesterday, then very strong wind and little snow the rest of the day but substantial drifting. Wind kept up until near midnight but with no new snow until around 5 a.m. The 22 hour total is 4½” of new snow with 0.44″ of water as wind driven snow was dense. Snowpack at 84½”. Currently light snow and obscured (what else?) cloud cover. Cooled to 2ºF but now up to 7. billy
Snowpack:

Avalanches: Shallow storm slabs touchy first thing and then stiffened and became more wind pressed & stubborn.
Weather: Major wind event today ravaged our terrain and made marginal ski quality, especially compared to the last few days! 5-hours (10:00-15:00) of 60mph winds and gusts in the 100’s. High gust of 111mph at 14:00.
Snowpack: Storm board: 12″ (1.7″ SWE)

Avalanches:
Weather: Obscured clouds with light to moderate snow overnight with 6″ new and 0.42″ of water. No wind and snowpack is up to 84 1/2″ on the ground. yesterdays high only 23 despite some sun, while morning low today was 13F but up to 19 currently. And snow continues.
Snowpack:

Avalanches: photo is of a human triggered avalanche by another party – not my group. It happened at about 2PM at about 10,200’ in the trees to the skier’s right of the main Coney’s bowl.
Weather: Mostly cloudy to overcast.  No new snow.  Light NW winds throughout the day.  Temps in the teens and low 20s.  
Snowpack:

A human triggered avalanche by another party – not my group. It happened at about 2PM at about 10,200’ in the trees to the skier’s right of the main Coney’s bowl.

coneys