Sawatch
AvalanchePayton Schiff · Mar 19, 2022 · Sawatch
Weather
Broken sky cover, no precipitation. Temperature was 15 degrees F at the start of our tour around 1000 and above 32 degrees F by the end around 1300. S-SW facing aspects were showing signs of melting near the end of the day. Calm wind speeds.
Snowpack
Did a quick hand shear test, digging down about 40cm and got a Hand-M bordering on Hand-H result. Snow depth at this location was 105cm. After doing that test, I proceeded up the hill about two steps and heard a huge whumpf and observed a massive crack that spanned up and halfway across the old avalanche path. N facing aspects had about 10cm of new storm snow sitting on a 4F hard somewhat crusty layer. Facets and depth hoar below. Cross loading on above TL N-NW facing slopes and breakable crusts on S-SW facing aspects.
Avalanche
Triggered stuffing in a N facing slope at treeline. Storm snow stuffing off the old snow interface underneath. It ran about halfway down the chute and came to a stop. R1D1 soft slab.