Sawatch
SnowpackJason Konigsberg · Jan 13, 2022 · Sawatch
Weather
No wind even at 12k feet. Very mild.
Snowpack
No wind and I was able to get out of my skis and not punch through to the ground. Not very Sawatch-like. In this area, the snowpack is often faceted from top to bottom most winters. Currently the snowpack is about 120 cm deep on northerly near treeline slopes. Well-developed soft facets are near the ground. Tests show it is getting harder to affect this weak layer but if you do, a crack will propagate. Stability test results - ECTP28 and PST30/100 END on 2 mm facets, 30 cm up from the ground. The slab on top is progressively harder (up to pencil hard) from the surface to just above the weak layer of concern. There were big cracks throughout northerly slopes near and above treeline most likely from the end of year storm cycle. On an easterly slope, I found a snowpack height of 70 cm. ECTP13 near the ground. The easier test results make sense with the thinner snowpack. On east and southeast below treeline slopes, a thin melt-freeze crust has formed near the surface. Although below treeline areas are getting quite warm, near to above treeline, even on southeast, has a winter-like snowpack. Don't be fooled by thin melt-freeze crusts. Our last large human-triggered avalanche was on a southeast-facing slope and there is no reason to think these slopes are less dangerous than east or others.