Bow lake

Quick report

Weather

sunny, cold

Ride Type

alpineSlopes, mellowSlopes

Stayed Away

convexSlopes, steepSlopes

Riding Quality

good

Snow Conditions

heavy, windAffected, powder

Avalanche Conditions

avalancheConditionSound

Rode a NE fan across bow lake -30 at the car in the morning -14ish by the afternoon, calm, bluebird clear. Variable wind affect. on bow lake was hard non breakable wind crust, below the fan was thin breakable crust and between that we had some cracking and drum like sounds and then into and up the slope it improved to light powder. Observed surface hoar forming at valley bottom. Dug a pit around 2200m HS 230cm, resistant results with no propagation on ECT. Saw an Old size 1.5 slab out of NE steep terrain above slope.

Weather

Avg Temp

-25

Max Temp

-16

Min Temp

-30

Wind Speed

windSpeedCalm

Sky Condition

clear

Wind Direction

N

Temperature Trend

rising

Precipitation Type

none

Snowpack

Depth

230

Obs Type

point

Site Aspect

NE

Test Fracture

resistant

Site Elevation

2200

Ski Penetration

20

Test Initiation

hard

Foot Penetration

30

Test Failure Depth

60

Site Elevation Band

alp

Surface Conditions

variable

top 30 was low density powder, on generally hard consolidated snow. Top 30 moved as loose snow at CT17, had a failure at CT26 and CT 28, 60 and 80cm down resistant, did not slide off easily ECT showed no propagation, failed on same layers towards the end of taps from the shoulder.

Avalanche

Trigger Type

natural

Wind Exposure

leeSlope

Avalanche Size

1.5

Slab Thickness

30

Start Zone Aspect

NE

Avalanche Character

windSlab

Crust Near Weak Layer

1

Number Of Avalanches

1

Start Zone Elevation

2400

Avalanche Observation

24to48hrsAgo

Start Zone Elevation Band

alp

Avalanche Occurrence Datetime

2021-02-13T10:00:00

Size 1 to 1.5, out of steep terrain immediately lee of ridge top appeared to be a wind slab approx 30cm crown