Observation: Public
Observation Details
Name:
Drew LovellObservation Date:
January 13, 2021Submitted:
January 13, 2021Zone or Region:
East NorthActivity:
Skiing/SnowboardingLocation:
Highway 20 environsObserved Avalanches
Did you observe any avalanches?
YesAvalanche Type:
Soft SlabSize:
Size 3: Could bury and destroy a car, damage a truck, destroy a wood frame house, or break a few treesElevation:
6800Aspect:
SComments:
Evidence for a widespread size 3 cycle on the evening of Jan.12, likely coinciding with peak instability, associated with a brief period of relatively high temperatures. One of the main Delancey Paths (approx. 1.5 km west of silver star) ran full path, ridgecrest to road. 3m deposition in places higher in the runout. No evidence for anomalously deep crowns observed, rather numerous storm slabs coalescing into entrainment of recent storm snow, creating impressive dry flow event.Photo:
Signs of Unstable Snow
None reported
Observations
Observed a skiable zipper crust that progressively thins and weakens above approx. 4500'.
A profile at 5200' showed HS 265cm, with the Dec.8-9 crust layer palpable by probe down 195cm.
35cm most-recent storm snow overlies a 5cm thick moist layer with a favorable bond.
Ongoing mod-strong WNW transport above 6000' likely creating reactive wind slab.