Sawatch
AvalancheSpencer Herford · Dec 22, 2020 · Sawatch
Weather
Morning started cold and clear with increasing clouds, some periods of S1 snowfall, no accumulation. Moderate W winds throughout the day, strong blowing snow observed on ridgeline of Mt Arkansas.
Snowpack
HS varied from 20 to 60 cm throughout out tour across multiple aspects, mostly BTL. We found widespread sun crusts from warm temps 12/21 on E facing slopes. On W facing slopes that were more exposed to wind, we noticed a more cohesive slab forming with some small cracking in the upper 20cm of the snowpack.
Avalanche
Observed several D1 avalanches that looked fairly recent. SS-N-R1-D1 in Question Mark bowl, SE aspect ATL. To the NE from the winter parking lot is a steep windloaded open area NTL that faces E, we observed SS-U-R1-D1 and what appeared to be a sympathetic slide SS-U-R1-D1 approx 40 meters away. From the distance observed, we were uncertain if a distinct diagonal line coming across the slope from the slide was a ski track, skin track, or fracture line that did not slide.