Observation: NWAC Forecaster

All Observations

Basic Information

Observation Details

Observation Date:
January 30, 2022
Submitted:
January 30, 2022
Observer:
NWAC Forecaster - Irene Henninger
Zone or Region:
West North
Location:
Canyon Creek (All aspects, 2100ft-5300ft)

Signs of Unstable Snow

Recent Avalanches? 
Yes
Cracking? 
None Experienced
Collapsing? 
None Experienced

Media/Attachments

Wind extensively redistributed the new snow, with some areas stripped back to the old snow surface (crust) and some areas nearly a foot deep and slablike.
Slablike qualities were obvious in the wind-affected snow, where blocks easily broke off within the new snow layer. Non wind-affected areas were generally well bonded to the underlying surface.

Advanced Information

Weather Summary

Cloud Cover:
Overcast
Temperature:
32°F
Wind:
Strong , SW
New/Recent Snowfall:
10cm overnight

10cm of snow fell at 5000ft overnight. Snowline was approximately 3500ft. Until noon there was a morning lull with overcast skies, minimal wind and no precipitation. Heavily rimed snow and wind rapidly set in at about 1pm. By 2pm large, fluffy and moist snowflakes were falling at a rate of about S3 at 5000ft, whereas moderate rain fell beneath ~3500ft. It remained gusty through when we left at 3:30.

We saw two small avalanches at a distance. They started as point releases in the new snow. One was on a steep SW slope at 5000ft above the Damfino Trailhead area. Another was on a northerly aspect at 5000ft.

Snowpack Observations

New snow was heavily wind-affected above 5000ft, with some areas stripped back to the old snow (crust) surface. Only a few feet away we found drifts up to 25cm with obvious slab qualities.

The new snow was moist and heavy, especially where it was drifted. There were easy failures within the new snow layer in wind-loaded spots, but in other areas there was no failure plane within the new layer or at the new/old interface.

In several quick pits we found extremely variable old crust layers, and old runnels hidden by the new snow. In one location we found a thick 30cm crust, while in a few others there were thinner layers (5-10cm). The thinner crust layers had large looser and moist melt forms between them, and were 1 finger hardness or harder.

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