Observation: Public
Observation Details
Name:
Matt PrimomoObservation Date:
December 9, 2020Submitted:
December 9, 2020Zone or Region:
East CentralActivity:
Location:
Blewett PassObserved Avalanches
Did you observe any avalanches?
YesAvalanche Type:
Wet LooseSize:
Size 1: Relatively harmless to peopleElevation:
4,000ftAspect:
NComments:
Observed a handful of very small loose wet slides on the rd cut right near the pass. Looked to have occurred sometime in the past 48 hours, though hard to tell when.Photo:
Signs of Unstable Snow
Observations
I ventured up towards Tronsen Head, finding a surface crust 5-10cm thick. It was refreezing out in the open with clear skies in the morning, sometimes supportable to ski weight, sometimes not. The snow surface in the trees hadn't refrozen yet. The snowpack is shallow and variable, though it is moist and has gained strength with the recent warm temperatures and rain. Old wind slabs can be found in exposed terrain. Many south facing slopes at lower elevation are bare ground. The travel was fast on firm, icy roads.
Profile on a NE aspect at 4500ft on edge of an old windslab.
HS 53cm but highly variable in the area. Temp was -2C down 20cm.
Surface rain crust was 5cm thick.
11/18 crust down 15cm. Entire snowpack was moist to ground.
Consistent sudden results down 15cm (CT M SP) down on 1.5mm rounding facets on the 11/18 crust. I don't suspect this layer to be a problem as it was moist, actively rounding and rain has about made it down through to it.
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