Date of Observation: 11/21/2021
Name: Evan Ross
Zone: Northwest Mountains
Route Description: Paradise Divide. NW to N around 11,600ft.
Observed avalanche activity: Yes
Avalanches: Just a few small sluffs and soft slabs that ran above treeline on steep slopes having received some wind-loading
Weather: Clear and calm.
Snowpack: Call it around 5″ of new snow that skied deeper thanks to our weakening snowpack. The new snow was very cold and lacked any cohesion where we traveled. Comparing conditions today versus traveling in the same area a couple weeks ago, any support in the snowpack back then is now turning into the sand box effect. Defiantly weak out there and we didn’t encounter much of any slab on this short afternoon tour.
The predominant wind-loading patter from the last storm appeared to be from the northerly winds at the end of that storm.
Photos:-
- Small sluffs and soft slabs near Purple Ridge. Recent winds had transported snow from right to left in this photo.
