Sawatch
AvalancheDrew Gibson Austin DiVesta · Mar 11, 2024 · Sawatch
Weather
Calm and clear with the occasional passing cloud. Warm with intense sun.
Snowpack
The recent slide on the SE aspect of Chicago Ridge is an impressive one. It may have been remotely triggered based on tracks near the compression. All of the recent tracks near the debris were covered. This slide failed on a weak layer that likely formed early or mid-February, and though the crown was ~1m in places, other parts were much thinner. The dust layer was obvious in the crown and was very dense. In other places in the immediate area, the dust layer was more diffuse, either way no instabilities were noted...yet. On easterly slopes near and above treeline, the layer of concern buried 70cm-1m down and had moderate propagating ECT failures. This is the same early February weak layer we have seen in many places across the region. Poking around on a wind-sheltered westerly slope near treeline, there was a little over 1m of total depth. There was a series of melt-freeze crusts, but they were thin and individually unsupportive. Column tests yielded no results in the upper snowpack with failures on top of the basal facets being consistent ECTP16 respectively. Though the crusts were individually unsupportive, the boot penetration off the side of the sled was only around 20cm. It took effort to punch in a boot and even trench a sled track. The sun-exposed slopes above about 11,800ft that we encountered were staying cool. Most lower elevation slopes to exclude due north were forming a thin melt-freeze crust on the surface. On southerlies, this crust was grabby on the sled skis, but on west it was only a few cms thick and wasn't noticeable until you got off your machine. I'd imagine Tuesday, surface conditions will be worse. I think steep, rock-exposed southerlies will have the thickest crusts if the snow doesn't shed off.
Avalanche
The D2 on the SE aspect is coded here https://avalanche.state.co.us/observations/field-report/06bea8a4-7fff-4305-9ade-c946f101d85d