Northwest Avalanche Center - Public Observation

Name:

Matt

Observation Date:

June 4, 2022

Submitted:

June 5, 2022

Zone or Region:

East North

Activity:

Skiing/Snowboarding

Location:

Heather-Maple Pass, Lewis Glacier, Black Peak

Comments:

Predictably triggered a number of size 1-2 wet loose slides today while skiing north/northeast slopes. Very slow moving (manageable) slides due to the heavy wet snow.

Did you observe any avalanches?

Yes

Comments:

Signs of wet loose slides everywhere (all aspects, all elevations) surrounding Lake Ann, Lewis Lake and Wing Lake. Many dangerous overhanging cornices littering all ridge lines, actively collapsing in the warming air and wet conditions. Very wet heavy snow from all the recent rain. Last weekend's snow has not consolidated with the underlying snowpack yet. We heard only one whumpf all day ~7500' while booting up the upper Lewis Glacier, but it was enough to give us pause since we hadn't seen any signs of slab activity.

Skiing any slopes above 35 degrees triggered (manageable) wet loose slides today in the Heather-Maple Pass area. Highly reactive ~5" of loose wet snow on top of previously consolidated base. The rain has done a number on the snow pack leaving lots of moisture in its upper layer. None of the slides stepped down into older layers, however, and we were able to successfully manage fall lines throughout the day.

We attempted Corteo Peak, but overhanging cornices above its SW ridge access gullies turned us around. After hoping clouds would lift to get an eye on Black's NE ridge, we skied the Lewis Glacier and then skinned back to Heather Pass - across a hang fire zone from dropping county line cornices to the east of Horsefly Pass. A probe check on top of Heather Pass revealed a 200cm snowpack base - crazy for June! We elected to ski the south aspect directly to Lake Ann and skin out the summer lake trail as opposed to the descending traverse loosely following the Heather Pass trail - figuring we'd be cutting loose untold numbers of loose wet slides above tbd snowshoers below. The south aspect felt more stable than the north and northeast slopes on the backside of Heather Pass and only produced some small sluff.

A classic Cascade spring pollen/pine/dirt exit through the trees back to Hwy 20. Pollen wasn't as bad as expected though.