Date of Observation: 01/29/2023
Name: Zach Guy
Zone: Southeast Mountains
Route Description: Union Chutes area, up to 11,500′.
Observed avalanche activity: No
Avalanches: No recent natural activity that I could see in this area.
Weather: Mild day, with no snow and light wind where we were, but I could see ongoing snow transport on Whetstone and Gothic Peak.
Snowpack: The mid-January near surface facet layer (the storm interface) is about 8″ to 12″ deep in sheltered terrain below treeline and 16″ to 24″ deep in leeward terrain near treeline. It produced cracking on the few steeper slopes that we ski cut; but felt more stubborn than what I saw yesterday. ECTs produced moderate propagating results on this layer on a drifted slope NTL, as well as hard propagating results on faceted snow near the ground. Because of large cornices guarding leeward features, and wind slabs too thick and stiff here for comfortable ski cuts, I didn’t seek out feedback in the most suspect terrain. HS is 105 near the creek and variable near ridgetop because of winds; 135 cm where we measured.
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- A shooting crack that almost released a storm slab on a steep rollover BTL.
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- A mini storm slab release from a ski cut BTL
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- Cracking about 18″ deep on a lightly drifted rollover NTL.
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- Propagating failures on the mid-January interface and 12/20 interface, SE aspect NTL
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- Pillow pop test produced an 8″ storm slab.
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- Wind transport on Whetstone this afternoon.
