NAME: JSJ
LOCATION: Gothic Zone
ASPECT: SW/S/W/NW/N
LOCATION: Gothic Zone
ASPECT: SW/S/W/NW/N
ELEVATION: 9,500′-11,000′
WEATHER: Clear, light gusty NNW winds. Hot in sun. Cold in shade.
WEATHER: Clear, light gusty NNW winds. Hot in sun. Cold in shade.
SNOWPACK/AVALANCHE OBS: Travel on N and NW aspects near and below tree line on slopes around 35* produced lots of widespread collapsing and cracking. Snow profiles showed an HS of 107 cm in valley floor and 150cm at 11,000′. Snowpack structure was 30-60 cms of soft snow (F & 4F) overlying a 20-40 cm thick 1F hard persistent slab over depth hoar. Test results produced repeatable moderate CT failures with sudden collapse failure character at the Dec 13 interface 1-1.5 M deep and again at the ground level. (See pic below).  Other skiers in the zone reported skier triggering a small slab on a steep convex roll on N facing terrain about 60cms deep size D1-