Date of Observation: 02/23/2022
Name: Cosmo Langsfeld

Zone: Southeast Mountains
Route Description: Cement Creek Ranch

Observed avalanche activity: No
Avalanches:
Weather: ~4.5 inches in the last 24 hours
Snowpack:

Date of Observation: 02/22/2022
Name: Irwin Guides

Zone: Northwest Mountains
Route Description: Irwin Tenure

Observed avalanche activity: Yes
Avalanches: SS-ASr-R1-D1-O W aspect BTL 10-13″ X 50′ X 150′ triggered from 50′ away (Strike
Three).
SS-ASr-R1-D1.5-O E aspect NTL 14-16″ X 150′ X 250′ triggered from the flat ridge above ( Sonic/ Pre
evac).
Numerous small D1’s W BTL
Weather:
Snowpack:

Date of Observation: 02/22/2022
Name: Rob Strickland

Zone: Southeast Mountains
Route Description: Standard maintenance lap up the lady

Observed avalanche activity: Yes
Avalanches: NTL and ATL east facing slopes were primed and mostly popped naturally.
Cornice drop with moderate propagation R2D2.
Lots of collapses and cracks near skis on ascent.
Weather: Partly cloudy S1 at times.
Breezy NTL.
Snowpack: 5” – 8” new
14” – 24”+ in wind loaded terrain

Date of Observation: 02/22/2022
Name: Zach Guy and Zach Kinler

Zone: Northwest Mountains
Route Description: Schuylkill Ridge to 11,400 ft, traveled mostly on NE aspects.

Observed avalanche activity: Yes
Avalanches: Wowza. Brief window of vis this afternoon displayed widespread natural slab activity on the steep NE facing rollers below the bench (BTL); counted at least 20 slabs mostly D1 to D1.5 and a few D2s. Slabs consistently were about a foot thick breaking on the “2022 total BS drought sandbox layer” (named by Evan). We had limited views of NTL slopes, but the 3 start zones that we could see all produced large avalanches. The most impressive was Thanksgiving Bowl which ran past the bench and snapped trees, D2.5 in size. Slabs near treeline were about 18″ thick. We skier triggered about 10 slab avalanches; these were all small in size because we were working small terrain features. Some were remotely triggered from short distances, most were triggered with ski cuts.
Weather: Light snowfall through most of the day, with rates increasing around 3 p.m. A brief period of greenhouse effect midday, otherwise overcast or obscured all day. Winds were surprisingly light at ridgetop with light drifting.
Snowpack: We traveled mostly in dense canopy, where the slab/weak layer combo didn’t seem to be an issue. Almost every opening or clearing that we touched produced a rumbling collapse and shooting cracks on slopes less than 36 degrees or so, or avalanched on slopes steeper than that.  Slabs were 12″ to 18″ thick over the well-advertised weak layer. At 10,000′, we measured 12″ (1.0″ SWE) storm snow, and 15″ (1.4″ SWE) down to the facets. On some low angle, southwest facing ridge walking, we got several collapses in wind whales that were a couple feet thick behind tree fences.

Date of Observation: 02/22/2022
Name: Ben Ammon

Zone: Southeast Mountains
Route Description: North and Northeast facing terrain above Gothic Road

Observed avalanche activity: Yes
Avalanches: Numerous 25cm deep soft slabs running on the old snow surface, which was 1-1.5mm FC. Any terrain steeper than 35 degrees ran naturally or was touchy to ski triggers. The largest slide observed was about 300′ wide and ran onto Gothic Road sometime around 1pm, between our first and second laps, D1.5, photos attached. Similar terrain in less sheltered areas where the old snow surface was a variable mix of windboard and facets produced some cracking but was much more stubborn or wouldn’t slide at all.
Snowpack: HST at 1500 was 25cm

Photos:

Date of Observation: 02/22/2022

Zone: Southeast Mountains
Route Description: Gothic Road

Observed avalanche activity: Yes
Avalanches: Nothing big, but made me decide to shorten the dog walk. This was on the road to Gothic. It was along first little downhill in the first tree grove. Look natural or remote triggered from below. About 75 yards across, sliding from 10 to 30 feet to the road. Crown looked to be about 6 to 8 inches, basically the new snow on hard frozen layer.

Date of Observation: 02/22/2022
Name: Evan Ross

Zone: Southeast Mountains
Route Description: Kebler TH, traveling on the border between the NW and SE forecast areas at below treeline elevations and a variety of aspects.

Observed avalanche activity: Yes
Avalanches: While traveling on a low angled slope above a steeper slope I remotely triggered a large avalanche. E to SE facing terrain feature below treeline. Google Earth measures the crown at over 1,500ft wide. The average crown height appeared to be about 25cm, and increased in some wind-loaded areas to an estimated 45 cm’s. This avalanche didn’t run very far into the avalanche path and was D2 or large in size. A crust collapsing into the weak facets below, appeared to drive the extended propagation given how little snow had currently accumulated.

Numerous small soft slab avalanches had previously run on steep NE-facing slopes. I’d estimate that those slabs ran early this morning or last night.

Weather: Obscured sky, light snowfall.

Snowpack: By early afternoon there was about 25cm to 30cm of new snow onto of the old snow surface. The only notable results came from SE to E facing slopes where there was a collapsible crust. Otherwise, NE facing slopes felt just like a fresh storm slab avalanche problem and lacked any persistent slab avalanche characteristics with the current amount of new snot.

Date of Observation: 02/22/2022
Name: Theresa Henry

Zone: Southeast Mountains
Route Description: Traveling north out Gothic Road about 1.5 miles from Snodgrass TH.

Observed avalanche activity: Yes
Avalanches: Noticed ski tracks on NE facing glades (about a mile out) and saw that skiers had traveled safely back on road. I xc skied with dog about 1.5 miles and noticed a slide directly above the road, large shooting cracks (see pic 1) taken at 1:42pm. I took some pics and turned around. On way back for the next 1/2 mile I noticed several more slides which had just occurred. I may have unknowingly triggered some of them or they naturally slid and I have impeccable timing. Some slides ran to the road over my ski tracks, about a foot or two deep. Avalanches occurred between 1:30-1:45
Weather: 20 degrees, hazy sun barely poking out of thin clouds
Snowpack: 6-8 inches new snow, turned wet and heavy

Photos:

Date of Observation: 02/22/2022
Name: Eric Murrow

Zone: Southeast Mountains
Route Description: Pavement tour along roadways

Observed avalanche activity: Yes
Avalanches: Numerous natural avalanches on east and northeast aspects of Gibson Ridge, Peanut Lake Chutes, and Happy Chutes. Visibility was too poor to see Climax Chutes but the aprons appeared to be free of debris. Most avalanches are D1 in size with some D1.5s. Longer terrain in Happy Chutes may have reached D2 but visibility wasn’t good enough to confirm.
Weather: Light snowfall with obscured skies.
Snowpack: Noticed dust in the bottom portion of the storm snow at valley bottom.

Date of Observation: 02/22/2022
Name: Cosmo Langsfeld

Zone: Southeast Mountains
Route Description: Cement Creek Ranch

Observed avalanche activity: No
Weather: 3-4 inches since beginning of storm.