Location: Paradise Divide Area
Date of Observation: 12/11/2018
Name: Eric Murrow
Subject: Below treeline northerly slopes
Aspect: North, North East
Elevation: 9,500′ to 10,600′
Avalanches:
Spotted a fresh windslab on easterly aspects in Baldy south bowl, had a very tangent view of it, ran a couple hundred vertical, D1 in size.
Weather: Just under an inch of new snow this morning. Winds were pretty quiet at our below treeline location. Clouds decreased throughout the day.
Snowpack: HS throughout this tour ranged from 70 to 135cm. 70 to 90cm was about average for sheltered locations. Dug in two locations, one drifted 135cm and another more average HS of 80. The first location was 10,600, NNE(10*), 29* slope, HS135. The structure showed fist density surface quickly transition into 4finger and then 1finger+ density slab resting over 2 to 3mm advanced facets that were showing signs of rounding. Test results at this location were ECTP21 and PST 40/110 end on the oldest facets on ground.
The second location was at 10,000′, NE(45*), 34* slope, HS80. The slab in this location was weaker at 1f- hardness and obviously much thinner. Test result was ECTN23 on facets resting on ground. The faceted grains at the ground were showing signs of rounding.
Photos:
12/11 Fresh windslab on east aspect of Baldy south bowl