Date of Observation: 03/16/2023
Name: Eric Murrow
Zone: Southeast Mountains
Route Description: Hwy 135 obs.
Observed avalanche activity: Yes
Avalanches: A few natural avalanches seen from the pavement. A couple small slabs in the storm snow in Green Lake Bowl on Axtel, a large avalanche in the Octagon area on Whetstone that appears to fail below the past two storms (3/10), a small avalanche on Red Mountain (could be from the warm up on Tuesday, but I suspect occurred Wednesday night/Thursday morning, and a west-facing avalanches on Round Mountain that I believe failed during warming on Thursday (looks like it failed on 3/10 interface).
Weather:
Snowpack:
Photos:
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A recent avalanche on east-facing terrain below treeline on Whetstone. The depth of the crown suggests it failed beneath the past two storms (3/10 interface).
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A pair of slabs on west-facing terrain of Round Mountain. They appeared to fail during warming on Thursday 3/16. The depth looks to be below the past two storms.
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An avalanche on lower Red Mountain. I did not see this avalanche on Monday 3/13 so I suspect it ran from warming on Tuesday or during the recent storm.
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A pair of debris piles in Green Lake Bowl. I couldn’t see crowns clearly but I suspect these failed in the recent storm snow.
Estimated avalanche date: 03/16/2023
Number of Avalanches: 1
Location
Location: Other: Add text
Location Specific: Round Mountain
Start Zone Elevation: BTL: Below Tree Line
Aspect: W
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: Good confidence this ran Thursday 3/16 from warming. Looks like 3/10 interface.
Estimated avalanche date: 03/16/2023
Number of Avalanches: 1
Location
Location: Other: Add text
Location Specific: Round Mountain
Start Zone Elevation: BTL: Below Tree Line
Aspect: W
Characteristics
Trigger: Natural
Trigger modifier:
Type: Soft Slab
Failure Plane: Old snow
Size
Relative Size: R2 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: Good confidence it ran 3/17 from warming. Looks like it failed 3/10
Estimated avalanche date: 03/16/2023
Number of Avalanches: 1
Location
Location: Mount Whetstone
Location Specific: Octagon area
Start Zone Elevation: BTL: Below Tree Line
Aspect: E
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: Present in AM of 3/16. Texture in direct sun suggested this was fresh. Looks like 3/10 interface.
Estimated avalanche date: 03/16/2023
Number of Avalanches: 1
Location
Location: Other: Add text
Location Specific: Red Mountain
Start Zone Elevation: BTL: Below Tree Line
Aspect: NE
Characteristics
Trigger: Natural
Trigger modifier:
Type: Soft Slab
Failure Plane: Unknown
Size
Relative Size: R2 small
Destructive Size: D1- Relatively harmless to people
Avg. crown height (inches):
Avg. width (feet):
Avg. vertical run (feet):
Involvements
# of people caught:
# of partial burials:
# of full burials:
Additional comments: Dont think it was present on 3/13 but there on AM of 3/16. Hard to say but could have ran during warm up on 3/14 or failed on 3/16 at the 3/10 interface based on depth. or maybe I just missed it during the 3/10-3/12 storm
Estimated avalanche date: 03/16/2023
Number of Avalanches: 2
Location
Location: Mount Axtell
Location Specific: Green Lake Bowl near top
Start Zone Elevation: ATL: Above Tree Line
Aspect: NE
Characteristics
Trigger: Natural
Trigger modifier:
Type: Soft Slab
Failure Plane: New/Old interface
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: Storm snow avalanches in drifted area.
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