Sawatch

Avalanche

Ron Simenhois, Jason Konigsberg · Jan 2, 2021 · Sawatch

Weather

Below freezing temperatures and scattered clouds with moderate westerly winds. Some snow was moving up high but not widespread and not significant.

Snowpack

Balow 11500 feet on south aspects the snowpack is thin (>30 cm) and consists of faceted crystals with sun crusts on the surface in places. Above 11500’, the snowpack becomes deeper and reactive on E-SE aspects. We triggered whumpfs on a small tree opening where a mid-pack slab persisted. The mid-pack slab spatial distribution was limited to open trees, and whumpfs were limited to terrain features. We did not trigger whumpfs on south aspects and the snowpack is still shallow on due south. ATL, the mid-pack slab became harder and thicker, and it becomes harder to trigger a collapse; however, the one whumpf we did trigger was larger and slope wide. Although we triggered several whumpfs, we did not trigger witnessed any recent avalanche activity. We got near the top of steep terrain thinking we could remotely trigger the slope below but no such luck.

Avalanche

The light was a little tough to make it any crowns in surrounding terrain but there were no obvious signs of an avalanche cycle in this area. It is nothing like the Indy Pass area to the north.