Sawatch
AvalancheJason Konigsberg · Dec 15, 2018 · Sawatch
Weather
Winds were only noticeable at ridgetop. Small plumes of snow off the highest peaks but overall wind loading was minimal.
Snowpack
No cracking or collapsing observed. Easterly slopes look the most loaded with some decent cornice hanging over the top on higher ridgelines. In the area that I was in due south slopes did not look loaded. I dug on a near treeline southeast-facing slope (snowpit attached). Stability test results were unimpressive. No propagating results in an ECT. The faceted layer about 12 inches down that was likely the culprit in avalanches on Friday was not apparent in the snowpit I dug. The faceted layer 40 cm from the ground was very apparent and this is still the most concerning layer. Stability tests pointed to the layer as unreactive. After a ECTN result I tried a cross-PST and got a 15/90 END result. Not an official test but telling nonetheless.---I skied part way down a north-facing slope finding a much more faceted snowpack but just a thin slab after recent northwest winds removed snow from the start zone. Cross-loaded terrain features on this northerly slope were avoided and I turned around once the slope rolled to a steeper slope angle.
Avalanche
Nice day with good views out to the Mosquitos, Sawatch, and the Elk Mountains. Using the zoom lens on my camera I could not find any recent avalanche activity.