Date of Observation: 02/14/2023
Name: Zach Guy
Zone: Northwest Mountains
Route Description: Afternoon tour in the Anthracites, poked around on a variety of aspects to 11,500′
Observed avalanche activity: Yes
Avalanches: Skier triggered a couple of thin soft slabs near wind drifted ridgelines, ~6″ thick, small in size. Also some shallow sluffing on very steep, below treeline terrain.
Weather: Moderate snowfall rates. Light winds where we traveled with evidence of stronger winds in other locations. Overcast skies.
Snowpack: Storm total was 6″ at Ohio Pass and up to 10″ at the top of AMR, low density, cohesionless snow. There was just enough wind drifting to add cohesion and form isolated soft slabs near ridgetop, still fist hard, but propagating 20 feet. I also produced localized cracking 2 to 4 feet under skis in drifted areas. Otherwise, the new snow sluffed underfoot on slopes steeper than about 38 or 40 degrees.
Photos:
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[accordion_item title=”Avalanche Report #1″ parent_id=”my-accordion” open=”false”]Estimated avalanche date: 02/14/2023
Number of Avalanches: 2
Location
Location: Anthracite Range
Location Specific:
Start Zone Elevation: NTL: Near Tree Line
Aspect: E
Characteristics
Trigger: Skier
Trigger modifier:
Type: Soft Slab
Failure Plane: Within storm snow
Size
Relative Size: R1 very small
Destructive Size: D1- Relatively harmless to people
Avg. crown height (inches): 6
Avg. width (feet): 20
Avg. vertical run (feet): 100
Involvements
# of people caught:
# of partial burials:
# of full burials:
Additional comments: Soft wind slabs at the top of Big Chute and East Bowl. These appeared to fail on low density precip particles within the storm snow.
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