Sawatch

Snowpack

Becs Hodgetts · Apr 4, 2019 · Sawatch

Weather

Mostly calm for the three hours we were out. Snow surface beginning to warm as we left at 1230pm. Broken skies helped keep sun effect at bay.

Snowpack

Average HS 220cm on east slopes lee to the wind. 3m probe did not hit ground in wind pillows. No older avalanche activity noted (ie: did not appear to be a widespread cycle in this basin in early March). Upper 1m of snowpack consisted of: 10cm of new snow over 40cm of 1F rounds. This slab rests on several melt freeze crusts the most pronounced ice layer at 52cm form the surface. This layer was consistent in the 2 areas we looked at. Besides the rounding grains in this layer and the 1F layer below crusts, there was no evidence of water in the snowpack. Snow below the surface 10cm was dry. It is possible the ice lens mentioned above could become a bed surface for Wet Slab activity on steeper slopes. I'm guessing the warm up would need to be rapid.