Sawatch

Avalanche

Ben Pritchett · Mar 10, 2020 · Sawatch

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Weather

Spring squalls swirled around us. Mostly cloudy, light winds, brief patches of sun. No precipitation where we were.

Snowpack

Snow stayed mostly dry above 11,000' all day. Slight warming of 1" recent snow on the surface on steep southerly slopes, but crusts just below the new snow never softened. Between 10-11,000' the snowpack remained moist below an intact crust. Dug on an east aspect around 11,800'. Snowpack depth in the area ranged from 100 to 200+cm depending on local wind loading. In a fairly wind-sheltered site with HS ~130 we found the lingering Persistent Slab structure intact and dry. ECTP and PST (END) on top of Depth Hoar below the February slab.

Avalanche

none observed