Sawatch
SnowpackKreston Rohrig · Jan 28, 2018 · Sawatch
Weather
Bluebird day with high thin clouds on either horizon. Ridgeline winds were light gusting to moderate from the west.
Snowpack
Near-treeline pit on a north facing slope @ 11600': Weak and reactive basal layer of 2-3mm DH chains. I dug in a little more sheltered area, but found the same weak structure below many wind-loaded drifts along the way. Probing and hand pits were easy to feel and identify the slab/weak layer combination that likely produced most of the avalanches in this area. Large drifts of snow many feet deep lined the leeward start zones along the ridge. Most of the old crown lines were still visible, but were filled in by recently wind-transported snow. No cracking or collapsing was observed, and recent wind-drifts were not reactive to my stomping.