Snowpack obs, Wash Gulch and Snodgrass

CB Avalanche Center2015-16 Observations

Location: Crested Butte Area
Date of Observation: 02/14/2016
Name: Zach Guy
Subject: Snowpack obs, Wash Gulch and Snodgrass
Aspect: North East, East, South East, South, South West
Elevation: 9,600 to 12,600

Avalanches:
Weather: S-1 snowfall. Moderate northwest winds and light snow transport. Overcast skies.
Snowpack:<1″ of new snow, fell on textured crusts on southerlies, windboard/wind rippled on upper elevation shaded aspects, and near surface facets below treeline on shaded aspects.  South and southwest facing aspects feel bomber right now, with refrozen wet grains deep into the snowpack; supportive to boot pen at all elevations.  SE aspects above treeline had semi-supportive crusts, 3″ thick or so.  Below treeline, the persistent slab structure on shaded aspects feels like it is faceting away and the weak layer/slab interface looks more homogenous than last week’s pits on similar aspects/HS.  Dug one pit on an ENE aspect of Snodgrass.   I got non-propagating results (ECTN, hard) on both the Jan 29 and Jan 14 facet layers, 40 and 60 cm deep approximately.   No signs of instability all day.  Some above treeline cornices are monstrous right now.