Observation: NWAC Forecaster

All Observations

Basic Information

Observation Details

Observation Date:
March 15, 2023
Submitted:
March 15, 2023
Observer:
NWAC Forecaster - Matt Primomo
Zone or Region:
Stevens Pass
Location:
Lichtenberg (E-S-SW up to 5,000ft)

Signs of Unstable Snow

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

Media/Attachments

NE aspect at appx 5,300ft east of the Swath. This pocket was estimated to have occurred March 10th or 11th.
Upper slopes of the Swath. Cross loading textures can be identified lower in the start zone.
Runout of the Swath. It looks like there is some debris in the upper runout zone, perhaps from the 10th or 11th.
Small loose slides triggered from a ski track, with wind drifts above.
Wind drifted features north of Skyline.
Large wet loose slide from either the 13th or 14th.

Advanced Information

Weather Summary

New/Recent Snowfall:
15cm new snow

Cool temps with mostly cloudy skies and a light breeze.

A few large wet loose slides were evident from the past couple days, many slightly smaller ones.
Observed one deeper pocket avalanche from a NE aspect at 5,300ft near the Swath. See photo below. This likely ran on the 10th or 11th.

Snowpack Observations

15cm of new low density snow over a suncrust on southerlies, and over low to medium density snow on shaded slopes. The suncrust below was supportable on southerly aspects but more breakable on E.
Snow surfaces were dry on south and east aspects up until about 11am, when the strong sun and daytime warming began to moisten the snow surfaces. Even still, the clouds and breeze kept snow surfaces from entraining into WL avalanches. Perhaps you could've found the right (or wrong) spot though.

I found deeper pockets from wind drifting that were isolated to exposed features. These were soft and I observed minimal cracking when testing some of them.