Date of Observation: 01/21/2021
Name: Ian Havlick
Zone: Southeast Mountains
Location: Redwell to First Bowl Skooks
Aspect: North, East, South East, South, South West, North West
Elevation: 9000-12,500
Avalanches: small D1 dry loose in first bowl Schuykill. Slow moving and avoidable but could get surprised in wrong terrain. Managed problem with avoidance and awareness. Smart re-grouping areas out of fall line.
Weather: Orographic snow showers mostly in AM. 2-3″ new snow accumulation. perfect Stellars, minimal wind except 20mph NW on ridgelines of Emmons. Minimal wind effect on Skook ridgeline. Temperatures moderated throughout day and say some greenhousing softening southerly slopes and surface snow.
Snowpack: Generally faceted with minimal slabs denser than 4F hardness. No formal pits but handpits and pole probing revealed minimal slabs. Travelled terrain with LOW danger in mind and saw no signs of instability. Widespread 1-2″ windboard capping facets in Redwell. Potentially todays stellars temporary weak layer when buried?