Location: Paradise Divide Area
Date of Observation: 01/14/2019
Name: Eric Murrow
Subject:
Aspect: South, South West, West
Elevation: 10,700 – 12,000′
Avalanches: Viewed two unreported slabs from last weeks storm. One D2, East aspect, 10,200′ near Purple Palace. D2, West aspect 12,800 White Mountain
Weather: Beauty of a day. Warm air temps near and above treeline with hardly a breath of wind. Snow surfaces were moist midday on SE-S-SW near treeline and moist on south at 2pm at 12,000′
Snowpack: Travelled through some rolling benchy west facing slopes near treeline and dug test profile and confirmed structure through some other rolling terrain nearby. This terrain sees less impact from the wind than most west slopes. Not representative of west slopes in general but only “protected” west where snow is able to stay in place and not drift away. See photo below
Did some probing into south facing ATL slope along the margins of a large bowl feature. Areas I was able to poke at showed mostly facets and crusts, no real slab structure at the moment. The crusts were generally 1 to 3cm thick and not a great structure for significant future loading.
Photos:
