Observation: NWAC Forecaster
Basic Information
Observation Details
Observation Date:
January 3, 2022Submitted:
January 3, 2022Observer:
NWAC Forecaster - Josh HirshbergZone or Region:
Stevens PassLocation:
Henry Creek clear cuts (NW-NE, 2850-3750ft)Signs of Unstable Snow
Recent Avalanches?
None ObservedCracking?
IsolatedCollapsing?
None ExperiencedMedia/Attachments
Advanced Information
Weather Summary
Cloud Cover:
ObscuredWind:
LightNew/Recent Snowfall:
HN24 35-40cmCold, mostly calm. Clouds lifted late AM to about 5k feet and then descended. Snowfall was intermittent and mostly light, but saw up to S2 near the White Pine area at 12p.
No new avalanche obs, aside from test slopes and a small tree bomb. Didn't have good enough viz on bigger terrain (Nason Ridge, Rock mtn, etc) to rule out those areas.
Snowpack Observations
Height of snow averaged 200cm. Ski pen was 40-60cm. Trail breaking was deep and slow.
Many tests (Hand shears, informal slope tests, and CT) produced planar and sometimes very easy results on an interface ↓50cm (below 4,000ft), which I believe was buried on 12/29. See linked video. This interface was most reactive where large 4mm stellars rested on 0.5mm facets. The Solstice crust is down about 90cm and has 4F+ hard 0.5-0.75mm facets resting above it. Teperature gradients surrounding the crust were favorable for faceting.
Avalanche Problems
| Problem | Location | Distribution | Sensitivity | Size | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Storm Slab
|
|
Layer Depth/Date: 30-50cm, Jan 2 and Dec 29th Comments: Did not observe near or above treeline |