Date of Observation: 01/16/2021
Name: Chris Martin
Zone: Southeast Mountains
Location: Snodgrass/Gothic Road
Aspect: North, North East, East
Elevation: 9600-10000
Avalanches: D1 Avalanche on East Facing aspect, Hard slab, looks to be 30cm thick, Naturally triggered. Not sure if it released today or prior to today.
Weather: Partly cloudy AM into a blue bay day
Snowpack: Hunting for wind load, found on Easterly slopes BTL in isolated pockets. They began as thin crusts and with some hunting we found 6-12″ hard slabs, Pencil hard. Cracking beneath feet to about 6′ around some of us and one that shot our fairly far, see photos.
No propagating test results, only dug in areas where there was no wind affect and deteriorating slabs existed, did not dig in wind slab.
Depth Hoar at base of pack is growing in size (NOV 6th Layer 3-4mm FC/DH). The Dec 10th FC layer down 45cm is also exhibiting signs of facet growth. Slab above Dec 10th layer F-4F and continuing to deteriorate.
Photos:
