Date of Observation: 12/27/2020
Name: Zach Kinler
Zone: Northwest Mountains
Location: Evans Basin
Aspect: East, South East, South
Elevation: 9300′-11,000′
Avalanches: No recent activity
Weather: Mostly sunny and pleasant on this afternoon tour. Winds were calm in sheltered areas. Highs remained below freezing.
Snowpack: The snowpack is still grumbling a bit, like a Stubborn old man sending back soup at the deli. There are a few steep slopes that have not avalanched and SOME of them produced collapses and cracking while others did not. The slopes that cracked did not run. Sensitivity has decreased however specific areas require thoughtful evaluation.
2-3″ new snow. Toured mainly on aspects from S through E. HS 60-70cm in sheltered terrain. Recent crusts from 12/22 and 12/26 have welded themselves into one thick crust 2-3 inches thick on steep south-facing slopes. Moving towards east, the crusts taper with faceting around the 12/22 MFcr. Small surface hoar capping facets was found at this interface once on due east.
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- Mixed feedback from these slopes. No avalanches but still cracking/collapsing.
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- The 12/22 interface showed easy shearing in tilt tests. East, 11,000′
