Date of Observation: 04/15/2023
Name: Zach Guy
Zone: Northwest Mountains
Route Description: Mount Emmons on various aspects to 12200′
Observed avalanche activity: Yes
Avalanches: A handful of thin soft slabs and wet loose avalanches involving the new snow ran naturally or were triggered today (D1s). Most of the slabs were in wind-affected terrain, but at least one broke more like a storm slab.
Weather: Scattered cloud cover cleared by early afternoon. The alpine felt cold and wintery; moderate to strong northwest winds with periods blowing snow. Below treeline felt mild and springlike.
Snowpack: Storm totals increased from a few inches near valley floor up to 10″ above treeline. The snow appeared to be bonding well on most undrifted slopes, but I popped a shallow slab on a rollover below treeline that broke near the storm interface. Drifts averaged about a foot deep and were up to 2′ thick in heavily drifted areas. I produced localized cracking up to 5′ in drifts. I didn’t see any natural wet loose activity today but it was becoming easy to trigger at low elevations by about 1 p.m., involving the top 4″ of wetting snow over the dust/crust. Near the valley floor, that crust was breaking down this afternoon and ski pen was knee-deep on a few slopes.
Photos:
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[accordion_item title=”Avalanche Report #1″ parent_id=”my-accordion” open=”false”]Estimated avalanche date: 04/15/2023
Number of Avalanches: 1
Location
Location: Mount Emmons
Location Specific:
Start Zone Elevation: NTL: Near Tree Line
Aspect: S
Characteristics
Trigger: Natural
Trigger modifier:
Type: Soft Slab
Failure Plane:
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: Saddle between Emmons and Racoon
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Estimated avalanche date: 04/15/2023
Number of Avalanches: 1
Location
Location: Mount Emmons
Location Specific:
Start Zone Elevation: ATL: Above Tree Line
Aspect: SE
Characteristics
Trigger: Skier
Trigger modifier:
Type: Soft Slab
Failure Plane:
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: Two adjacent skier triggered wind slabs in Red Lady Bowl.
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Estimated avalanche date: 04/15/2023
Number of Avalanches: 3
Location
Location: Mount Emmons
Location Specific:
Start Zone Elevation: BTL: Below Tree Line
Aspect: E
Characteristics
Trigger: Skier
Trigger modifier:
Type: Wet Loose
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: Alien Shack chutes. Ran on 4/14 dust/crust.
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Estimated avalanche date: 04/15/2023
Number of Avalanches: 2
Location
Location: Mount Emmons
Location Specific:
Start Zone Elevation: NTL: Near Tree Line
Aspect: NE
Characteristics
Trigger: Natural
Trigger modifier:
Type: Soft Slab
Failure Plane:
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: Storm slab looking avalanches in Climax Chutes N/BTL boundary
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[accordion_item title=”Avalanche Report #5″ parent_id=”my-accordion” open=”false”]
Estimated avalanche date: 04/15/2023
Number of Avalanches: 1
Location
Location: Mount Emmons
Location Specific:
Start Zone Elevation: BTL: Below Tree Line
Aspect: N
Characteristics
Trigger: Skier
Trigger modifier: Unintentional
Type: Soft Slab
Failure Plane:
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: Storm slab, in runout of Redwell Basin.
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