Observation: NWAC Forecaster

All Observations

Basic Information

Observation Details

Observation Date:
February 23, 2022
Submitted:
February 23, 2022
Observer:
NWAC Forecaster - Matt Primomo
Zone or Region:
East Central
Location:
N Fk Fortune Crk (All but SW/W: 4,000-6,600ft)

Signs of Unstable Snow

Recent Avalanches? 
Yes
Cracking? 
Isolated
Collapsing? 
None Experienced

Media/Attachments

Quick profile at 5,440ft, showing weaker snow beneath a thin crust down about 35cm.
Quick profile on NW at 6,440ft, showing weaker snow within a crust/sandwich 35cm down.
ECTN 21 down 45cm on ENE at 6,440ft. Although the fracture didn't propagate all the way across, it did cross 2/3 of the column.
Close up of faceted grains within a decomposed crust. ENE at 6,440ft.
Small loose avalanche off the SW side of Harding Mtn.
High marks near Lake Anne
Wind slab skin track test.
Very small loose slide. SW at 6800ft.
SE side of Fish Eagle Peak, with many loose dry avalanches from during or shortly after the last storm.

Advanced Information

Weather Summary

Cloud Cover:
Clear
Wind:
Calm
New/Recent Snowfall:
30-45cm, less below treeline.

Bitter cold in the shade, warm to hot in the sun. Beautiful day.

Avalanche Observations

 #  Date Location Size Type Bed Sfc Depth Trigger Photos Details
1 Feb 23, 2022 1:00 pm
() 		Harding Mountain
SW 6800ft 		D1 L-Loose N-Natural
Small loose avalanche off the SW side of Harding Mtn.
Very small loose slide. SW at 6800ft.
Report
Harding Mountain

We observed signs of sun triggered loose activity, but only one real avalanche. This was a D1 on a S-SW aspect of Harding Mountain.

Snowpack Observations

There was a fair amount of wind affected snow in the NTL, and quite a bit in the ATL. Wind slabs ranged from 4F-1F+ in hardness, and a few were quite stiff, more like Pencil. Slabs were not very reactive during the day, but it seemed like you could still trigger one in the right area.

S aspects had a thin suncrust in the am, but this became a little thicker today. The crust itself is brittle, and not very well bonded to the low density snow around it. New snow was well bonded to stout crusts below on SE-S aspects where we traveled.

On NW-N-NE-E aspects, the recently buried (Valentines Day) crust presents in various forms, but often times faceted grains can be found sandwiched within, or beneath brittle crusts. On an ENE aspect at 6,440ft I got Compression Tests to fail with Sudden Collapses (CT 19 SC, CT 21 SC) 40cm down. An ECT did not propagate, but it did cross 2/3 of the column on this layer (ECTN 21). The faceted grains are 1-1.5mm on average. Overall my impression is that this is not a great structure to hold a lot more snow. For now, it doesn't seem like there is much of a slab, and folks were out high marking lots of big terrain features of all aspects with no results.

Excellent travel, very nice to have a refresher!

WordPress Lightbox