Sawatch
AvalancheJason Konigsberg · Feb 6, 2021 · Sawatch
Weather
Windy day with clouds breaking every now and then. Visibility was still mostly limited.
Snowpack
I traveled on mostly east-facing slopes below and near treeline. On these slopes I got numerous collapses and cracks on mellow slopes that were not steep enough to slide. Collapses sounded larger near treeline. I dug near a small recent remotely triggered avalanche and found a 40 cm slab on top of a 2 cm melt-freeze crust. Below this crust is about 8 cm of fist-hard 5 mm faceted crystals. This is the current layer of concern, although avalanches triggered on this layer can then break deeper. I got an ECTP11 on this layer in this snowpit near the avalanche. Near ridgetop, winds were loading leeward slopes and cornices broke easily. I think we will continue to see chunks of cornice fail through tomorrow and the result being an avalanche on the slope below. I briefly traveled on a south-facing, near treeline slope. On this slope I could not break through the melt freeze crust with pole pokes or by foot. I am sure with enough load, weak layers below this crust could be collapsed but it seems like it would take a bit more on due south.
Avalanche
A few small avalanches triggered by cornice fall. They were relatively shallow.