Date of Observation: 11/21/2021
Name: Evan Ross
Zone: Northwest Mountains
Route Description: Paradise Divide. NW to N around 11,600ft.
Observed avalanche activity: Yes
Avalanches: Just a few small sluffs and soft slabs that ran above treeline on steep slopes having received some wind-loading
Weather: Clear and calm.
Snowpack: Call it around 5″ of new snow that skied deeper thanks to our weakening snowpack. The new snow was very cold and lacked any cohesion where we traveled. Comparing conditions today versus traveling in the same area a couple weeks ago, any support in the snowpack back then is now turning into the sand box effect. Defiantly weak out there and we didn’t encounter much of any slab on this short afternoon tour.
The predominant wind-loading patter from the last storm appeared to be from the northerly winds at the end of that storm.
Photos:
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[accordion_item title=”Avalanche Report #1″ parent_id=”my-accordion” open=”false”]Estimated avalanche date: 11/21/2021
Number of Avalanches: 2
Location
Location: Upper Slate (Purple, Yule Pass, Paradise Divide)
Location Specific:
Start Zone Elevation: ATL: Above Tree Line
Aspect: E
Characteristics
Trigger: Natural
Trigger modifier:
Type: Soft Slab
Failure Plane: New/Old interface
Size
Relative Size: R1 very small
Destructive Size: D1- Relatively harmless to people
Avg. crown height (inches):
Avg. width (feet):
Avg. vertical run (feet):
Involvements
# of people caught:
# of partial burials:
# of full burials:
Additional comments:
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