Sawatch
AvalancheJason Konigsberg · Feb 27, 2022 · Sawatch
Weather
Calm to very light winds up to 12k feet. Recent storm snow has settled to 6 to 8 inches.
Snowpack
I traveled mostly below treeline and there is a lack of a slab in most places for dangerous avalanche conditions. I got small collapses, especially where the new snow sat on a crust but there just isn't much of slab on top. While skiing, it felt hollow and I punched through the thin storm slab almost like early-season conditions. Steep wind-loaded slopes are a different story and avoided those, even small ones. The slab on wind-loaded slopes is continuous, especially on easterly slopes. It is pretty hard to tell what sits beneath but based on recent activity and past obs, it seems like near treeline would be most worrisome for the preserved faceted layer beneath the wind-drifted slab.
Avalanche
Observed a few avalanches around Fremont Pass that likely occurred around February 23. Nothing extraordinary and what you would expect to see after 6 to 10 inches of snow with lots of wind. Avalanches ranged from D1 to D2 and those that were large, were on the smaller side of D2.