Observation: Public
Observation Details
Name:
Craig MuderlakObservation Date:
November 21, 2020Submitted:
November 22, 2020Zone or Region:
West CentralActivity:
Skiing/SnowboardingLocation:
Mt. Rainier - ParadiseObserved Avalanches
Did you observe any avalanches?
YesAvalanche Type:
Soft SlabSize:
Size 1: Relatively harmless to peopleElevation:
8,000Aspect:
EComments:
Small , Natural D1 wind slab on an East facing slope, near ridge line on the flanks of the Nisqually Glacier. This was the only crown I observed.Signs of Unstable Snow
Observations
We covered a lot of terrain and gathered on the fly obs on multiple aspects between 5,000-8,200 feet. We put first tracks in the Nisqually chutes and multiple lines/aspects in the Mazama Ridge zone. Skis were clear, temps reached the mid 30's f and there were calm winds with no precip. With little previous obs, the unknowns we were interested in targeting was the distribution, depth and reactive of wind slab, storm slab, and the 11/17 Mfrc interface. We observed no reactive windslabs, handsheers were medium/hard with no clean shears of sudden results. The 11/17 MFrc was about 50-60 cm down at 8,000 and this interface exhibited now signs of reactivity. Solar aspects exhibited minor sluffing/ roller balls by late morning and lower angle and shaded slopes skied well all day.