Sawatch
AvalancheSean Smollen · Feb 24, 2022 · Sawatch
Weather
Intermittent periods of snowfall throughout tour. 11 degrees F on a N facing aspect at 10,900' around noon today. Blowing snow at all elevations with light winds from the west. Skies were overcast.
Snowpack
Widespread instability on NW-N-E below treeline observed today. 25cm of new snow has fallen in the last 3 days on-top of a well faceted base. Collapsing and shooting cracks remained relatively localized, up to 3 meters in length from underfoot. In a pit on a N facing aspect at 10,600', new snow is gaining strength and increasing in hardness in the top 25cm. Propagation was observed in an ECT, a crack initiated, travelled (about 70/90cm), but arrested itself mid column(ECTN21). All results were failing on near surface facets buried by the new snow.
Avalanche
1 R1-D1 road bank on a NE aspect BTL slid sometime early today. As the day warmed, from 10:00-14:00, 2 more R1-D1 avalanches naturally released on slightly more easterly aspects, near the first. All 3 avalanches failed on or below a thin melt freeze crust immediately beneath the new snow.