Date of Observation: 04/03/2021
Name: Zach Guy
Zone: Northwest Mountains
Location: Anthracite Range and driving tour
Aspect: North, North East, East, South East, South
Elevation: 9,600 – 12,200
Avalanches: See photos. Large wet avalanche activity on the rise. We noted numerous natural D2 wet loose avalanches on all but due north aspects and at all elevations. Many of these gouged deep into the snowpack. Some ran today, some yesterday. Several large wet slabs, generally D2 in size, ran today. The one off of the east face of Gothic may have been up to D3 given the long runout (which was obscured from view).
Weather: Africa Hot.
Snowpack: We found frozen surfaces this morning and good corn skiing on due south aspects until about noon, at which point ski and boot pen quickly detoriated. On an east aspect below treeline around 1 p.m., we were triggering large pinwheels that gouged 12″ to 18″ deep. The most active aspects for wet activity were east and northeast where we traveled, but we left before westerlies had their fair share of sunshine.
Photos:
- East Beckwith (east aspect). D2 and D2.5 ran today.
- Storm Ridge (NE aspect). D2 and several D1 wet loose ran today around noon.
- Anthracite Range (NE aspect). Several D1 ran yesterday
- Anthracite Range (W/NW aspect). Several D1.5 ran yesterday
- Anthracite Range (South aspect) Two D2s likely ran yesterday
- West Elk Wilderness (East aspect). D2 wet loose, likely ran today.
- Anthracite Range (E/NE aspect). D1.5 wet loose
- West Elk Wilderness (ENE aspect). Several D1.5 wet loose ran today.
- Anthracite Range (West aspect). D1.5 ran yesterday
- Happy Chutes (NE aspect). D1.5 wet loose, ran today
- Happy Chutes (NE aspect) D2 wet loose, ran today
- Peeler Peak (East aspect) D1.5 to D2 wet loose and small slab, likely ran today.
- Scarp Ridge (E/NE aspect), D2 wet loose ran today.
- Gothic (E/SE aspect), D2 wet loose and D2.5? wet slab ran today.
- Bellview (S/SE aspect). D2 wet slab triggered by sluff, ran today
- Red Ridge (W/SW aspects). D1.5 to D2 wet loose ran today