Observation: Avalanche Professional
Basic Information
Observation Details
Observation Date:
February 15, 2022Submitted:
February 16, 2022Observer:
Avalanche Professional - Zack WentzZone or Region:
West SouthLocation:
Crystal Backcountry - Crown Point and Blue Bell Pass (4300'-6400'; all aspects but mostly SE-E)Signs of Unstable Snow
Recent Avalanches?
None ObservedCracking?
IsolatedCollapsing?
None ExperiencedAdvanced Information
Weather Summary
Cloud Cover:
Mostly CloudyWind:
Moderate , WNew/Recent Snowfall:
S-1 in AM, increasing to S1 in PM. 5-10cms HSTBroken skies, light snow (S-1), moderate winds gusting strong at ridge top. Warm temps in AM & PM, with surface snow becoming moist regardless of elevation. Winds increased to moderate-strong below ridge top & to moderate BTL in late PM. Moderate blowing snow at ridge top, loading SE slopes.
Shooting cracks observed while breaking trail in wind loaded pockets near ridgecrest (6300') near BBBB Bowl above Bullion Basin. No new avalanches observed.
Snowpack Observations
Snowpack Summary: 5-10cms of new F hard storm snow (HST) sits above the Valentines Day crust. Above Bullion Basin, winds have distributed this snow in small, thicker pockets of wind slab (4F+) down to 17cms. Hand shear results in these isolated pockets are sudden and reactive. The Valentine’s Crust is generally well supportable by skis, but can become punchy with full boot penetration. Wind scouring NW-SW aspects, and loading predominately SE-E aspects. BTL travel is still quite rugged with exposed stumps, trees & rocks.
Avalanche Problems
| Problem | Location | Distribution | Sensitivity | Size | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wind Slab
|
|
Layer Depth/Date: 10-20cms Comments: Problem is developing. At the deepest found this problem to exist down 17cms. |