Date of Observation: 02/17/2017
Name: Evan Ross
Aspect: North, North East
Elevation: 9,400-11,600
Avalanches:
Weather:
Snowpack: More of the same. Upper snowpack continues to decompose and facet as the most recent snow since 2/10 continues to break down. Small sluffs were the only observed avalanche problem.
At 11,600ft northerly facing slopes on the ridgeline and above the start zones, glanced at a previously excavated snow pit and saw a very obvious layer of surface hoar down about 35-40cm’s. Didn’t spend much time, but that was some of the most concerning structure I’ve seen in a long time. Hinting at what may be possible to encounter. Observed several old crowns in the terrain that are mostly filled back in now. Looked at one of these old crowns and surface hoar was the weak layer, again about 40 cm’s down. Targeted a 39 degree slope that didn’t have a crown. 2/8 SH was down about 50cm and 1/19 SH was down 100cm. Both of these were back to being difficult to observe without column tests, unlike the more obvious SH in the pit in low angled terrain above the start zones. ECTN on the 2/8 SH. Informal deep tap ECT for the deeper 1/19 SH had no result. A single CT produced no results. Multiple tracks in the terrain with some on features of concern produced no results. Below 10,800ft the snow surface was covered with large surfaces hoar on these northerly slopes.