Grand Mesa
AvalancheDylan Craaybeek, Jewel Campbell · Feb 11, 2024 · Grand Mesa
Weather
Trace of snow overnight, day was clear and just below freezing with calm winds.
Snowpack
The upper persistent weak layer is not well developed and will likely decrease to unreactive within a week. Extended column tests almost all show no failures or non-propagating failures within the storm snow and propagation saw tests indicate the propagation potential for this weak layer is decreasing. The lower weak layer of well-developed facets still seems unstable in propagation saw tests but it would be very difficult to impact that weak layer with a thick, hard slab on top of it (see snow pilot). Near tree wells and in creek beds with shrubs around it was easy for the snowmobiles to fall through the slab and get stuck in the basal facet layer, highlighting the most likely areas you could remotely trigger an avalanche, shallow spots around tree wells and willows. On open meadows, the slab was supportable to snowmobiles and feet with a foot penetration ranging from around 20 to 40cm. The open meadows we were traveling through also see a notable amount of wind transport which is reflected in the wave-like snow surface appearance almost everywhere except for in the trees.
Avalanche
Investigated the avalanche that caught and buried a snowmobiler and heard reports of other recent avalanches in the area that we did not get to.