Sawatch
AvalancheAlan Hassler · Jan 16, 2022 · Sawatch
Weather
Clear, warm (20 degrees), windy at times.
Snowpack
Both above and in opens below timberline: Soft, unconsolidated blown snow. No support in many flat open areas; harder drifts where established, low snow cover over much of area. Aspect made little difference, and rocks/lower snow cover was found primarily on westerly sides of ridges BUT there were still exposed rocks/low vegetation on easterly sides. Weird. Elevation-- consistent with above description from 11,000 to 12,250
Avalanche
Noted avalanche debris on east side of Chicago Ridge at the above coordinates. Ridge elevation at slide area 12,650. No actual measurements taken. Appeared to have run Sunday, 01/16/2022--blocks and debris were clear of drifting. Was a cornice break, probably due to continued wind loading and the temperature swing over a couple of days-- 30 degrees or more. Aspect was east/north east. Slope was near vertical at the top, well over thirty degrees even below debris field. Face of break was over 10 feet, though immediately below it was apparent there was less snow. In the photo, note the rock protrusions just under the break. Also, note the fracture line extending east and west of the slide, some distance down from the top. Run: about 300 feet vertical Up to app. 120 yards wide (mid-point) Run distance: not more than 600 feet