Sawatch
AvalancheKreston Rohrig · Apr 2, 2018 · Sawatch
Weather
Warm below treeline with a fresh breeze blowing from the west at higher elevations. Small puffy clouds gave way to thicker storm clouds as the day progressed.
Snowpack
Below treeline the battle between the sun and warm temperatures vs. the wind and cooling was being won by the sun. Snow surfaces were wet and the snowpack punchy and isothermal. Near and above treeline, the wind was helping to keep snow surfaces cooler and dry but the top cm or two was warming and soft. With little or no snow for transport, only meager amounts of snow were blowing around at ridgetop. On north and east facing slopes above treeline, previously wind-loaded slopes were now void of any fresh slabs. What remains in this area was a mix of sastrugi and wind buffed surfaces. No sign of fresh slabs capable of producing a Wind Slab Avalanche.
Avalanche
3 old Wind Slab Avalanches were observed north of Homestake Peak. All were small in size and probably failed sometime last week.