Observation: Public
Observation Details
Name:
Daniel MacDonaldObservation Date:
February 17, 2023Submitted:
February 18, 2023Zone or Region:
Mt HoodActivity:
Skiing/SnowboardingLocation:
Newton CanyonObserved Avalanches
Did you observe any avalanches?
YesAvalanche Type:
Hard SlabSize:
Size 2: Could bury, injure, or kill a personElevation:
6800’Aspect:
SComments:
Multiple. Likely ran prior to 2/17. Given southerly aspects off gnarl ridge/head of newton creek, good nightly refreezes, visible crowns a/o sidewalls and proximity immediately below cliffs/rock outcrops, guessing wet loose or rockfall/cornice-fall triggered cross-loaded windslabsSigns of Unstable Snow
Observations
Newton Canyon exploratory ski tour via Pea Gravel Ridge departing TH 0915 and returning 1600. Had hoped to submit this observation yesterday, but the 2 bars of T-Mobile service I had for much of ATL Pea Gravel Ridge evaporated climbing out of Newton Canyon. Starting to regret switching from AT&T…
Weather conditions were mostly lovely for most of the day until sun fell below low-hanging clouds and winds picking up 3/330 (tho not nearly the 30-40mph I felt at the end of my 8K’ afternoon 1/16 Vista Ridge tour).
Thin Easterly-facing wind slabs definitely existed at alpine elevations below ridge lines (last photo where it reappeared on re-ascent was close to 200’ below it), but saw no shooting cracks and heard no whumphing all day long (but also didn’t test it via hard ski cuts when found the thin slab underfoot).
Finally, note that while the day was nice on most of the mountain, upper mountain was in a cloud all day long, possibly slowing any healing from prior day’s shallow wind-loading on applicable aspects/climbing routes (wy’east, west crater rim, etc)
Media
