Observation: Public
Observation Details
Observation Date:
January 5, 2021Submitted:
January 5, 2021Zone or Region:
Snoqualmie PassActivity:
Skiing/SnowboardingLocation:
Snoqualmie Mt: Phantom TreesObserved Avalanches
Did you observe any avalanches?
YesAvalanche Type:
Hard SlabSize:
Size 3: Could bury and destroy a car, damage a truck, destroy a wood frame house, or break a few treesElevation:
5600Aspect:
EComments:
We say at least 2 very large crowns on Chair Peak during a brief period of good visibility. One was in the upper Chair Peak basin SE 5600'. The other was below the NW ridge of Chair E aspect 5400'. We don't know when these slides occurred. I tried to get a photo, but it didn't turn out.We also saw numerous smaller 8-12" crowns on S-W aspects between 5000-6000'. Photo of smaller storm slabs.
Photo:
Signs of Unstable Snow
Observations
Terrain: We traveled in the Phantom Tress area to near the Thunder Creek exit on Snoqualmie Mt. Mainly SE-S-W aspects 3100'-5300'.
Snowpack:
The snow was deep! Thigh deep trail-breaking was the norm. Below 4400' the snow was very wet and heavy. You could see the effects of the near-freezing temperatures.
Above 4500' the snow was noticeably drier. The upper snowpack was generally right-side-up with increasing resistance to the 1/1 crust. Settlement cones were seen on nearly all trees and rocks. 1/1 was down 80-90cm around 5000'. The deeper 12/21 crust was 175-200cm below the snow surface.
In wind drifted areas, small slopes produce shallow 10-15cm slabs that were isolated to the drift. Other test slopes produced no notable observations, however these were small and well supported features.
Weather:
Mostly overcast skies becoming obscured around noon. Winds at ridgecrest were southerly light gusting to moderate with light snow transport. Snow began around noon and quickly intensified.
Media
