Sangre de Cristo

Avalanche

Blaine Hartman · Mar 15, 2016 · Sangre de Cristo

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Weather

Approximately 3 fresh inches of snow, mostly clear with a few clouds,winds approximately 15-25 mph. Boot tracks were quickly filled in by wind blown snow.

Snowpack

All I can tell is from the surface. 3 fresh inches overnight. While climbing snow would vary between hard packed wind to powder within a couple of steps. Large chunks of surface slab would break off when stepped on, or when small shallow square was cut with ice axe. All on north and easterly aspects on north side of Broken Hand pass. Cornice visible on top of one gully near top of Broken Hand pass. Multiple windslabs visible. Could almost watch wind slabs being created from fresh snow and wind over the pass.

Avalanche

One small avalanche on north/northeast aspect in gully near very top of broken hand pass. Hard to tell how recent as avalanche was not approached. Most likely naturally triggered.