Observation: Public
Observation Details
Name:
Josh HirshbergObservation Date:
May 8, 2022Submitted:
May 11, 2022Zone or Region:
East CentralActivity:
Skiing/SnowboardingLocation:
Earl Peak, Bean creekObserved Avalanches
Did you observe any avalanches?
YesAvalanche Type:
Soft SlabSize:
Size 2: Could bury, injure, or kill a personElevation:
near treeline 6,200-5,800ftAspect:
SEComments:
2 recent slab avalanches D1.5-2, 15-25cm deep. One on the SW shoulder of Earl Pk and the other on the SW ridge of Judis pk. Both the same age (May4-6th?) and just below ridges on leeward and sun-exposed slopes. Guessing these were wind slab-esq that may have been triggered by cornice fall or point release.Signs of Unstable Snow
Did you see shooting cracks?
Yes, IsolatedDid you experience collapsing or whumpfing?
YesObservations
Weather: Temps were cool. Broken to Scattered skies. Clouds build from the E midday then retreated with virga and rain nearby, but not on us. Previous W wind xport in past 24hrs. New snow accumulation began at 5,000ft. Above 6,000ft- HN24 10cm w drifts to 20cm.
Snowpack: Consistent snow on shaded slopes started around 4,400ft with good coverage all around above 5,000ft.
Below 5,800ft, firm travel yielded to decent corn by afternoon. Above 6,000ft, surfaces were cold, soft, wind-buffed storm snow, even on south. Up to 25cm of recent snow covered a stout crust (buried May 5-6th). Upper elevations, surfaces on SE-SW began to warm by 3p. Didn't travel on N aspects at upper elevations, but they were staying cold.
On SSE, 5,500-5,800ft, we experience widespread wet collapses @ 14:00 (up to 7m radius). We didn't experience this elsewhere. A few collapses produced cracks, tho no avalanches. These occurred 10-25cm below the surface on weak, 4F+ hard, moist melt forms as the overlying crust began to melt.
Upper snowpack @ site of collapses:
0-5cm HN24, moist surface, w underlying dry new snow
5-15cm 4F+ hard, dry recent storm snow, now DF/MF
15-20cm 1F hard crust, frozen and dry
below 20cm 4F+, moist to wet, MFpc
In addition to the avalanches mentioned, we saw fresh cornice falls to D1.5, some of which occured today.
We easily drove to around 3,400ft, just below the Bean creek trailhead.
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