Observation: Public
Observation Details
Name:
Bunkhouse BillyObservation Date:
February 10, 2021Submitted:
February 10, 2021Zone or Region:
Snoqualmie PassActivity:
Skiing/SnowboardingLocation:
Alpental ValleyTriggered Avalanches
Did you trigger any avalanches?
YesWas it intentional?
NoAvalanche Type:
Dry Loose (Sluff)Size:
Size 1: Relatively harmless to peopleElevation:
Both near and below treelineAspect:
SComments:
Easy to push around some loose snow once the slope angle exceeded 35 degrees.Observed Avalanches
Did you observe any avalanches?
YesAvalanche Type:
Wet LooseSize:
Size 1: Relatively harmless to peopleElevation:
4500Aspect:
SWComments:
Appeared to be a loose wet off some cliffs that ran approximately 100-150 feet. Forgot to take a picture =(. Did not entrain significant snow or show any indication that it interacted with lower PWL.Signs of Unstable Snow
Observations
We toured southerly aspects from 3000 to 5200'. Snow in the trees was still mostly well preserved and very light. On any open slopes from 3k to about 4500 we found a increasingly thick sun crust that was not quite a trap crust but close. Interestingly, this crust completely vanished higher up; the upper snowpack skied very well. We did not dig a pit, and experienced no instability, but stuck to slopes less than 30 degrees.
Saw alpental pro patrol set off two explosives in the back bowls around noon, but couldn't see any avalanche movement from the other side of the valley.
Also observed very large cornices on north facing ridgelines.
Slightly cloudy morning with some sun breaks followed by lowering cloud deck and light flurries around 11:30 - 2:30.