Northwest Avalanche Center - Public Observation

Name:

Matt Primomo

Observation Date:

March 22, 2021

Submitted:

March 22, 2021

Zone or Region:

East Central

Activity:

Location:

Van Epps

Did you observe any avalanches?

Yes

Comments:

We found a couple recent cornice triggered slabs from the heavier snowfall overnight, one was D1.5, another D2. These were on north and east aspects at 6,400ft to 6700ft.

Photo:

Moderate snowfall in the morning gave way to patchy sun. Cold and breezy while under the clouds, warm while in the sun. Northwest winds had cross drifted snow on north facing slopes and was evidenced by textured pillows and fish scale-like drifting patterns. We experienced moderate, though intermittent wind transport during the day.

There was 6-8" of new snow in the area with fair bonding to previous surfaces. We could get short shooting cracks on skin track switchbacks and with wind drifted test slopes early in the day, but not later. Wind slabs were up to 12" thick and about 1F- in hardness, failing on weaker new snow underneath the wind stiffenend layer. I could find small near-surface faceted grains under the new snow, although test results were variable on this layer.

Aside from the natural cornice activity, we could easily trigger small loose dry slides on very steep slopes. I imagine loose wet slides could have also been triggered on steep south and west aspects near and below treeline as the day warmed.