Northwest Avalanche Center

Observation: Public

All Observations

Observation Details

Name:
Ingo Düsseldorf
Observation Date:
December 1, 2022
Submitted:
December 1, 2022
Zone or Region:
East Central
Activity:
Skiing/Snowboarding
Location:
Icicle Creek

Observed Avalanches

Did you observe any avalanches? 
Yes
Avalanche Type:
Soft Slab
Size:
Size 1: Relatively harmless to people
Elevation:
BTL to 4000'
Aspect:
NE
Comments:
Several storm slabs from mid-storm 11/28-29 were apparent on steep slopes and had avalanched mid-storm and spun back in. Crowns to 25cm within storm snow.

Signs of Unstable Snow

Did you see shooting cracks? 
No
Did you experience collapsing or whumpfing? 
Yes, Isolated

Observations

40-50cm of low density storm now over the 11/22 facets/surface hoar. HS of 35 to 100cm depending on aspect. A few collapses in low flat areas and along rocky, shallow ridges.

Media

Fist hard storm snow over dense storm snow and underlain by a crust with basal facets to the ground.
CT 11 on the facets below the 11/22 crust
Facets/surface hoar from the CT 11 test result
A spun in storm slab NE 4000'
Another spun in storm slab NE 3600'

Advanced Observations

Observed Avalanche Problem #1: 
Persistent Slab
Comments: 
Poor structure matching that found by NWAC staff: recent storm snow over a pair of crusts sandwiching weak snow, with large, sugary basal facets at the ground. While the recent avalanches I observed were all from high precipitation rates mid-storm, once the new low-density snow settles or is sculpted by wind, there will be a slab over deep, large facets and surface hoard.
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