Sawatch

Avalanche

Kreston Rohrig · Jan 27, 2018 · Sawatch

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Weather

Mostly sunny day with small patches of clouds moving overhead. Ridge top winds were strong and moving what little snow was left off windward faces. Hard to tell but looked more like sublimating rather than loading.

Snowpack

Snowpack at the trailhead was almost non-existent but improved a half mile up the trail. Lower elevation BTL HS ranged from 30-50 cm. Snowpack at this elevation on E-NE-N was fully faceted and not supportable. NTL open areas, wind drifted snow has formed slabs in varying thickness. Overall, conditions are thin, but no cracks or collapses were observed.

Avalanche

A ski cut on a small slope below treeline produced a small Loose Dry avalanche that entrained the weak faceted snow about a foot deep. Slough ran approximately 60 feet down slope.