Sawatch
AvalancheDylan Craaybeek · Jan 30, 2022 · Sawatch
Weather
Cold morning warming up quickly from 6F on Vail Pass at 9:00 AM to 27F at the Chalk Creek trailhead at 10:00 AM. Clear sky all day with Light winds gusting Moderate at ridgeline and Light ridgeline snow transport.
Snowpack
Weak snow surface on all aspects and elevations. Southerly slopes have a 2 to 4cm thick melt-freeze crust (MFcr) on slopes around 20 to 30 degrees and a thinner MFcr on less steep slopes. On northerly slopes, 20 to 30 cm of facets make up the top of the snowpack with variable wind crusts on easterly slopes near and above the treeline. West-facing slopes are bare above the treeline and have a similar MFcr as you will find on southerly slopes. The height of snow around Chalk Creek and Buckeye Peak averaged around 70 to 100 cm on sunny slopes and 100 to 130cm on shaded slopes. There is still a 20-30cm thick layer of well-developed facets and depth hoar at the base of the snowpack on north through east-facing slopes near the treeline. Isolated wind slabs exist above the treeline on lee slopes but none broke wider than our skis.
Avalanche
Two small recent avalanches on easterly aspects above the treeline on wind-loaded slopes.