Sawatch

Avalanche

Sean Smollen · Dec 27, 2021 · Sawatch

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Weather

Variable sky cover. Light winds from the west, intermittent blowing snow below treeline.

Snowpack

Collapsing and cracking observed on NW-N-E-SE terrain below treeline that held more than 50cm of snow. Average HS sat between 75-100cm in most places still holding November snow. The top 20cm of the pack is fist hard new snow increasing in density down to the bottom 30cm of developed depth hoar (also fist hard) at the base. In a snowpit at 10,500' in an isolated, wind loaded, west facing aspect, hard propagating results were observed within the bottom 35cm. HS was 130cm.

Avalanche

Dozens of avalanches observed on road banks throughout the day. Steep, BTL, NW-N-E facing terrain along the road, all naturals. All avalanches appeared to fail within the bottom 30cm of depth hoar. None of the avalanches appeared to have released today, they all had at least 3cm of last nights snow on the surface. Avalanches ranged in size up to D2.