Sawatch

Avalanche

Rich Silkey ยท Apr 18, 2014

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Weather

1" new, calm-light winds, 35 degrees below tree line and 22 above tree line at 11:00.

Snowpack

13,000 ft., South aspect, 32 degree slope, Cross loaded terrain feature (Grande couloir) of Mt. Aetna, Snowpit revealed a 40 cm (1F+, windslab rounds) over 8 cm (F+, decomposing forms) resting on (K, melt freeze crust), pit was not dug deeper than the melt freeze layer. Test results were ECTP 21 Q2, CTM 17 Q2, all failing on the F+ player. Still very much a winter snowpack!

Avalanche

We avoided all wind loaded terrain features during our ski descent and no avalanches were triggered. Basically skied the exposed wind swept frozen melt freeze layer. No natural avalanches were visible from the summit.