Sawatch
AvalancheJason Konigsberg · Dec 4, 2022 · Sawatch
Weather
Skies were partly cloudy. Temperatures were mild. Winds picked up at ridgetop in the afternoon and there was light snow transport.
Snowpack
Any steep slope that I got close to cracked and collapsed. Even low angle slopes had deep cracks with the slab wanting to move downhill, leaving an inch gap at the "almost crown". There's not much to say about the snowpack that hasn't already been well documented in numerous obs. There is a cohesive 12 inch slab in non wind-loaded areas sitting over 2 to 4 mm faceted crystals and depth hoar. Basically 12" slab over 12" of snow that is about as weak and soft as it gets. Wind-loaded slopes on near ridgetop on north through east-facing slopes have 2 to 3 foot slabs, most likely thicker in other areas I didn't travel.
Avalanche
I observed one large natural avalanche on a due north-facing slope that is usually wind hammered and I remotely triggered a smaller avalanche on a due east-facing slope near treeline. Several other naturals were observed all thought to have run on Saturday, December 3.