Sawatch

Avalanche

Ian Hoyer · Feb 26, 2017 · Sawatch

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Weather

Cold temps and clear skies. 10F at the truck at 9:30 AM, 15F at 12:30. Felt warm in the sun, biting cold west wind at ridgeline.

Snowpack

~1 new snow. Hard crust under the new snow on sunny slopes (SE-E). In shadows and further north (NE-N), there is no crust. Near surface facets under the melt-freeze crusts, or just under the new snow on shady slopes. Thin wind slab above these facets near treeline. Appeared patchy in distribution. Dug a pit on a NNE aspect near treeline, found a more faceted snowpack than on most other slopes, but still no propagation in an ECT.

Avalanche

Saw a number of older Wind Slab avalanches. Seems likely they broke after the 7" new snow on 2/20.