Observation: Public

Name:

Josh Hirshberg

Observation Date:

January 12, 2021

Submitted:

January 12, 2021

Zone or Region:

Stevens Pass

Activity:

Skiing/Snowboarding

Location:

Stevens Pass Resort sidecounty

Did you observe any avalanches?

Yes

Avalanche Type:

Soft Slab

Size:

Size 2: Could bury, injure, or kill a person

Elevation:

4000-5800

Aspect:

Comments:

Incredibly widespread slab cycle. Everything I could see was covered with crowns and debris. most were D2 w a few up to D2.5, running on Jan 11 interface ↓35cm. I believe they ran early AM. Also some wet loose to D2.

Photo:

None reported

Profile at 4840ft, NW revealed Jan 11th interface ↓35cm is of most concern. Clean shears in tilt test along with progressive compression with Compression Test (CTM11(PC)). Wet snow in the top 3cm w underlying new snow (DF, PP). No obvious wetting front, but I found moist snow in top 20cm as well as below the Jan 11th interface.

Crown on Rock Mtn, between Schillings and Crescent cks. SE, 4800ft.

Clean shears in tilt test at the Jan 11th interface ↓35cm

Slab avalanche. Lower skiers left in Moonlight area, E, 4400ft. Crown was at least 150ft wide