Observation: Public
Observation Details
Name:
ZachObservation Date:
February 11, 2023Submitted:
February 11, 2023Zone or Region:
Snoqualmie PassActivity:
Skiing/SnowboardingLocation:
Silver Peak BasinObserved Avalanches
Did you observe any avalanches?
YesAvalanche Type:
Hard SlabSize:
Size 2: Could bury, injure, or kill a personElevation:
5500'Aspect:
NComments:
Old size 2 off the steepest north aspects just underneath the cliffs of the Silver Peak true summit. Big clean crown line, probably 100-200ft across. Very steep starting zone slop angle. Possibly 45+ degrees.Signs of Unstable Snow
Observations
Planned to ski the W face of Silver Peak's NW ridge but bailed because of uncertainty about skinning up a a steeper shaded 30 degree wind affected slope to gain the ridge.
Dug a pit at 5126' NE and got a CTE14 RP about 5" down. Interface was smooth and slick on what looked like old graupel.
Below that the old storm laters were easily discernible and seemed less bonded than expected. I could easily identify individual layers off the column with my fingers and shear them off.
Also did a rushed shovel shear test. The top 35cm released cleanly as a hard slab but it required a lot of effort.
Felt so-so about what we saw as there seemed to be more layering than expected so we bailed.
Some folks skinned the slope after us with no results.
Beautiful day. Sunny and clear.