Observation: Public
Observation Details
Name:
Gary BrillObservation Date:
February 17, 2021Submitted:
February 18, 2021Zone or Region:
East CentralActivity:
Skiing/SnowboardingLocation:
Blewett PassObserved Avalanches
Did you observe any avalanches?
YesAvalanche Type:
OtherSize:
Size 2: Could bury, injure, or kill a personElevation:
5800' to 5400'+-Aspect:
NComments:
Uncertain, oblique view high above me, but it looked like I saw the toe of an avalanche that had run a good distance.Signs of Unstable Snow
Observations
Highly variable would be the primary observation depending on wind exposure and snow depth on NW to NE aspects. Overall alpine stability was good where we traveled, but I would not rule out areas where the 1/13 crust (and a subsequent one) is broken down in faceting, and surface hoar may be possible in certain protected gullies/pockets. One shear test at about 5400' indicated a good bond of about 16" of recent snows to the 1/13 crust, which was strong in this location. Perhaps, higher that would be less so, and lower by a few hundred feet a more recent crust was quite weak from faceting, collapsing a bit underfoot. Lot's of evidence of wind likely around 2/13 created much of the variability. Certain areas would not do well with appreciable new snow loading. Any solar exposure resulted in several inches of moist snow. Surface hoar yesterday morning appeared to have ablated for the most part during the day.