Date of Observation: 02/19/2022
Name: Zach Guy
Zone: Southeast Mountains
Route Description: Climax Chutes. E and NE aspects to 10,800 ft.
Observed avalanche activity: Yes
Avalanches: Loose dry sluffing is still the primary concern here, although not as widespread as my last visit a couple of weeks ago because sun crusts have encroached on east aspects and wind crusts are scattered about. Still triggered a handful of small sluffs that entrained anywhere from 6″ to 12″, starting to gouge deeper into the pack near rock bands.
Weather: Clear skies, calm winds where we traveled.
Snowpack: 2″ of recent snow is faceting into small grains (~.5mm), on top of well-developed, very weak facets (2 mm). Wind crusts and sun crusts capping facets in some terrain. The transition from thin sun crust to dry facet occurred at roughly 75 degrees, ENE, depending on tree shading and slope angle.
Photos:
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- Small skier triggered sluff. The middle of the chute was windboard so it didn’t entrain much snow as it ran.
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- Skier triggered sluff entraining about 8″ of super weak faceted snow. This layer will be very problematic when it gets buried by a slab
