Sawatch

Snowpack

Bo Torrey · Apr 1, 2021 · Sawatch

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Weather

Cold in the morning. surfaces were frozen. By 11am surfaces began to soften near and above treeline. Light breeze helped to slow the warm up

Snowpack

150-180cm snowpack in the area. On the surface was a 1-2 inch supportable frozen crust in the morning with about 10 inches of 4-finger hard, dry snow below the crust. Observed unreactive wind drifts above treeline. From the top of Clover Mountain we could see a large Persistent slab avalanche on an east-facing slope of Stella Mountain. The avalanche looked to have been caused by a cornice that fell. By noon the south-facing slopes above treeline had a soft breakable crust. The riding was tough and variable. On our exit slopes below treeline were completely moist but soft dry snow still existed on due north sheltered slopes.