Sawatch

Avalanche

Rob Coppolillo ยท Dec 21, 2014

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Weather

S1 to periods of S2 throughout day, from 10,800 at car to 12,000 on the W/NW aspect of Ball Mountain, moderate to intense BloSno NW predominate winds. Temps at treeline/alpine hard to discern, as wind chill felt single digits.

Snowpack

Great ski conditions in general. S, SE aspects have a suncrust/zipper crust beneath storm snow, which is mostly supportive. Good riding on W, SW aspect of Ball from 11,800 down to car at 10,800. Skied a short shot from 12,000 to 11,600 on NW aspect--storm snow (F hardness) down to 10cm 2-3mm depth hoar, but no layers of concern in a handful of quick pits. At treeline storm snow rapidly becoming 4F wind slab, though no whumpfs, collapses, shooting cracks observed between 10:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. Definitely trending toward stiffer wind slab on exposed terrain, though, would imagine stiff enough for propagation by morning.

Avalanche

None observed, nor triggered. Stomped on several small test slopes without result, W, NW aspects.