Date of Observation: 03/26/2022
Name: Zach Guy
Zone: Northwest Mountains
Route Description: Poverty Gulch and Slate River Road. Traveled on E, SE, and S aspects to 12,600 ft on Mineral Point.
Observed avalanche activity: Yes
Avalanches: East-northeast aspects were fairly active by late morning for wet loose activity, with a handful of D1.5 near and below treeline, and a dozen or so D1s at all elevations. Also a handful of ~D1.5 wet loose on easterly and westerly aspects ran yesterday. A few of these were close, if not to D2 in size.
Weather: Warm, scattered to few clouds this morning. Light to moderate westerly winds at our high point.
Snowpack: Surfaces were frozen and supportive this morning. By 11 or so, we saw natural wet loose activity on easterly aspects. By 11:45, south-facing terrain NTL was producing rollerballs, small wet sluffs to ski cuts, and becoming trap door. At noon, east-facing slopes NTL were producing large pinwheels and rollerballs in the top 10″ or so.
Surfaces are noticeably more hardened by last week’s wind event above treeline and that seems to be helping moderate the effects of meltwater into the snowpack where we traveled, along with a breeze today helping keep surfaces a bit cooler up high.
Photos:
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[accordion_item title=”Avalanche Report #1″ parent_id=”my-accordion” open=”false”]Estimated avalanche date: 03/26/2022
Number of Avalanches: 2
Location
Location: Schuylkill Ridge
Location Specific:
Start Zone Elevation: NTL: Near Tree Line
Aspect: E
Characteristics
Trigger: Natural
Trigger modifier:
Type: Wet Loose
Failure Plane:
Size
Relative Size: R1 very small
Destructive Size: D1.5
Avg. crown height (inches):
Avg. width (feet):
Avg. vertical run (feet):
Involvements
# of people caught:
# of partial burials:
# of full burials:
Additional comments: Great Wide open. ENE aspects. Fairly broad but shallow looking debris, perhaps multiple wet loose contributing to 2 debris piles.
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Estimated avalanche date: 03/26/2022
Number of Avalanches: 2
Location
Location: Poverty Gulch (Pittsburg, Augusta, Baxter Basin)
Location Specific:
Start Zone Elevation: BTL: Below Tree Line
Aspect: E
Characteristics
Trigger: Natural
Trigger modifier:
Type: Wet Loose
Failure Plane:
Size
Relative Size: R1 very small
Destructive Size: D1.5
Avg. crown height (inches):
Avg. width (feet):
Avg. vertical run (feet):
Involvements
# of people caught:
# of partial burials:
# of full burials:
Additional comments: Below Cascade. Watched them run at 12:30 p.m. Very slow moving but nasty cement mixer debris.
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Estimated avalanche date: 03/26/2022
Number of Avalanches: 6
Location
Location: Mount Emmons
Location Specific:
Start Zone Elevation: ATL: Above Tree Line
Aspect: E
Characteristics
Trigger: Natural
Trigger modifier:
Type: Wet Loose
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: ENE aspects of Redwell Basin and Baxter Basin
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Estimated avalanche date: 03/25/2022
Number of Avalanches: 3
Location
Location: Poverty Gulch (Pittsburg, Augusta, Baxter Basin)
Location Specific:
Start Zone Elevation: NTL: Near Tree Line
Aspect: SW
Characteristics
Trigger: Natural
Trigger modifier:
Type: Wet Loose
Failure Plane:
Size
Relative Size: R1 very small
Destructive Size: D1.5
Avg. crown height (inches):
Avg. width (feet):
Avg. vertical run (feet):
Involvements
# of people caught:
# of partial burials:
# of full burials:
Additional comments: SW side of Purple Ridge. Likely ran yesterday. One maybe a D2.
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Estimated avalanche date: 03/25/2022
Number of Avalanches: 3
Location
Location: Poverty Gulch (Pittsburg, Augusta, Baxter Basin)
Location Specific:
Start Zone Elevation: BTL: Below Tree Line
Aspect: E
Characteristics
Trigger: Natural
Trigger modifier:
Type: Wet Loose
Failure Plane:
Size
Relative Size: R1 very small
Destructive Size: D1.5
Avg. crown height (inches):
Avg. width (feet):
Avg. vertical run (feet):
Involvements
# of people caught:
# of partial burials:
# of full burials:
Additional comments: Below Cascade Peak.
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