Date of Observation: 03/21/2023
Name: Evan Ross
Zone: Northwest Mountains
Route Description: Indy and Elk Basins. 9,000-12,000ft.
Observed avalanche activity: Yes
Avalanches: Many small storm slab avalanches at BTL and NTL elevations. Poor visibility ATL. Those avalanches failed last night or during the early AM hours. 40+ avalanches. All failing in 40+ degree terrain. There were fewer avalanches on due south-facing slopes and I didn’t see much for north-facing terrain. I didn’t notice any avalanche activity near the Kebler Road or on the lower northerly facing slopes of Mt Axtell.
Weather: Overcast. S-1. Calm wind.
Snowpack: HST averaged in the 25 to 35cm range. The storm slabs were failing just above the 3/20 crust in low-density storm snow and stellars. Hand pits still produced clean shears on the interface, but I otherwise didn’t observe any signs of instability on small test slopes. There was wind-affected snow at upper elevations, but I didn’t encounter any notable thick wind drifts and of course, also didn’t enter the most suspect terrain. On E-SE and W aspects The 3/20 crust was 2cm thick on average. There wasn’t enough load to start collapsing that crust into the weaker snow below. The crust on due south is thicker and stronger.
Photos:
[[accordion id=”my-accordion”]
[accordion_item title=”Avalanche Report #1″ parent_id=”my-accordion” open=”false”]Estimated avalanche date: 03/21/2023
Number of Avalanches: 40
Location
Location: Other: Add text
Location Specific: Indy and Elk Basins below Scarps Ridge
Start Zone Elevation: NTL: Near Tree Line
Aspect:
Characteristics
Trigger: Natural
Trigger modifier:
Type: Soft Slab
Failure Plane: Within storm snow
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: Many small storm slab avalanches at BTL and NTL elevations. Poor visibility ATL. Those avalanches failed last night or during the early AM hours. 40+ avalanches. All failing in 40+ degree terrain. There were fewer avalanches on due south-facing slopes and I didn’t see much for north-facing terrain. I didn’t notice any avalanche activity near the Kebler Road or on the lower northerly facing slopes of Mt Axtell.
[/accordion_item]
[/accordion]]
6140