Sawatch
SnowpackJason Konigsberg · Mar 14, 2021 · Sawatch
Weather
Intermittent snowfall of one inch/hour and then periods of calm. The snow didn't amount to much today, maybe an inch or two. Storm total is 12 inches in the area I traveled. Northerly winds picked up in the afternoon. I would assume at least moderate wind loading but I was not on any exposed ridges.
Snowpack
No instabilities within the storm snow were observed. Below treeline, where the snowpack is really shallow and faceted, I observed some small collapses. Walking around ~35+ degree tailing piles, I was unable to trigger any avalanches. I traveled on mostly northerly terrain and consistently found two near-surface facet layers buried 35 cm and 45 cm deep. The slightly deeper layer yielded non-propagating results in an extended column test (ECTN). Nothing on the upper facet layer. In a propagation saw test, the layer that was 45 cm deep yielded a result of 20/100 END. A fairly short cut length showing that this layer can propagate a fracture. It seems that in most places the slab is too soft and not cohesive enough to communicate a fracture longer than a few feet. ---I did get one result of ECTP17 at the upper end of below treeline on a northwest-facing slope. This is where recent buried facets sit directly on our older basal weak layers. ---The northerly winds picked up, loading southerly slopes. Southeast near treeline slopes would be concerning with a denser slab sitting on the structure mentioned above. All in all, little change to snowpack stability from the last few days unless you find a wind-loaded slope.