Sawatch

Avalanche

Ian Hoyer · Feb 12, 2015 · Sawatch

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Weather

Warm day. Light winds in the valleys. Periods of intense sunshine intermixed with cloud cover.

Snowpack

~6 inches of new snow from Wednesday night. Sitting about a stout temperature crust (~5cm) on most aspects BTL&NTL. New snow seemed well bonded to the crust. No cracking or collapsing. Sun crust already developing ontop of new snow on sunny aspects. Strong winds striped snow from ATL. Mostly only snow left in gullies, below cornices, etc. Very little wind deposition observed. Quickly transitioned from wind scoured ATL to no wind effect BTL. Thin band right at treeline where wind stiffened slabs without scouring away all the new snow.

Avalanche

No avalanche activity observed, neither Wind Slab nor Persistent Slab avalanches.