Date of Observation: 12/08/2022
Name: Eric Murrow
Zone: Northwest Mountains
Route Description: Pavement obs from the road.
Observed avalanche activity: Yes
Avalanches: A few more avalanches from Whetstone and one deep avalanche from Treasury. Hard to time avalanche release but a few crowns looked sharp while others were likely from around Tuesday 12/6. The crown on Treasure looks very deep and the view was poor so I did not code it until a better image comes around.
Weather:
Snowpack:
Photos:
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A natural avalanche below treeline on Whetstone. It appears to have failed around Tuesday, 12/8.
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A pair of avalanches in M-Face on Whetstone. Crowns look sharp and recent.
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A couple of avalanches in the X-chutes area on Whetstone. The left avalanche looked older (~12/6) and the right crown looks sharper and more recent (~12/8). East and northeast aspects.
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A deep crown in a southeast basin on Treasury. I suspect this may be a D3 (very large) avalanche due to depth and slab hardness but will wait for a better photo.
Estimated avalanche date: 12/06/2022
Number of Avalanches: 1
Location
Location: Mount Whetstone
Location Specific:
Start Zone Elevation: BTL: Below Tree Line
Aspect: N
Characteristics
Trigger: Natural
Trigger modifier:
Type: Soft Slab
Failure Plane: Old snow
Size
Relative Size: R1 very small
Destructive Size: D1.5
Avg. crown height (inches):
Avg. width (feet):
Avg. vertical run (feet):
Involvements
# of people caught:
# of partial burials:
# of full burials:
Additional comments: Debris looks softened so coded 12/6. Enough volume for D2 but coded D1.5 as it appeared debris spread out downhill
Estimated avalanche date: 12/06/2022
Number of Avalanches: 1
Location
Location: Mount Whetstone
Location Specific:
Start Zone Elevation: ATL: Above Tree Line
Aspect: E
Characteristics
Trigger: Natural
Trigger modifier:
Type: Soft Slab
Failure Plane: Old snow
Size
Relative Size: R1 very small
Destructive Size: D2 – could bury, injure, or kill a person
Avg. crown height (inches):
Avg. width (feet):
Avg. vertical run (feet):
Involvements
# of people caught:
# of partial burials:
# of full burials:
Additional comments: Looked older so coded 12/6. Its a mix of NE – E but generally seemed to be shady side of E.
Estimated avalanche date: 12/08/2022
Number of Avalanches: 1
Location
Location: Mount Whetstone
Location Specific:
Start Zone Elevation: ATL: Above Tree Line
Aspect: NE
Characteristics
Trigger: Natural
Trigger modifier:
Type: Soft Slab
Failure Plane: Old snow
Size
Relative Size: R1 very small
Destructive Size: D2 – could bury, injure, or kill a person
Avg. crown height (inches):
Avg. width (feet):
Avg. vertical run (feet):
Involvements
# of people caught:
# of partial burials:
# of full burials:
Additional comments: Crown looked fairly sharp so coded for Thursday’s event
Estimated avalanche date: 12/08/2022
Number of Avalanches: 1
Location
Location: Mount Whetstone
Location Specific:
Start Zone Elevation: ATL: Above Tree Line
Aspect: N
Characteristics
Trigger: Natural
Trigger modifier:
Type: Soft Slab
Failure Plane: Old snow
Size
Relative Size: R1 very small
Destructive Size: D2 – could bury, injure, or kill a person
Avg. crown height (inches):
Avg. width (feet):
Avg. vertical run (feet):
Involvements
# of people caught:
# of partial burials:
# of full burials:
Additional comments: M-Face. Slab rocks look bare so coded for 12/8.
Estimated avalanche date: 12/08/2022
Number of Avalanches: 1
Location
Location: Mount Whetstone
Location Specific:
Start Zone Elevation: ATL: Above Tree Line
Aspect: NE
Characteristics
Trigger: Natural
Trigger modifier:
Type: Soft Slab
Failure Plane: Old snow
Size
Relative Size: R2 small
Destructive Size: D2 – could bury, injure, or kill a person
Avg. crown height (inches):
Avg. width (feet):
Avg. vertical run (feet):
Involvements
# of people caught:
# of partial burials:
# of full burials:
Additional comments: Crown and debris looked sharp so coded 12/8.
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