Sawatch
AvalancheJason Konigsberg · Apr 23, 2017 · Sawatch
Weather
Mostly clear skies in the morning with high clouds increasing in the afternoon. At a 13k ridgetop the wind was moderate making the temps feel cold. Down in sheltered basins there wasn't much wind and it felt hot.
Snowpack
The upper 2 to 4 inches of the snowpack became wet and even slushy on all aspects below and near treeline. Minor rollerballing observed. The snow on above treeline northerly aspects continued to stay cold with a 4 to 6" hard slab of wind-drifted snow resting on top of softer decomposed fragments. No cracking in the wind-drifted snow observed.
Avalanche
A couple of older small Wind Slab avalanches near ridegtop and some small Loose Wet avalanches on easterly aspects were observed.