Observation: Public

Name:

Matt Primomo

Observation Date:

March 30, 2021

Submitted:

March 30, 2021

Zone or Region:

East Central

Activity:

Skiing/Snowboarding

Location:

Mission Ridge

Did you trigger any avalanches?

Yes

Was it intentional?

Yes

Avalanche Type:

Wet Loose

Size:

Size 1: Relatively harmless to people

Elevation:

6,300ft

Aspect:

SE

Comments:

Very small wet loose avalanches could be triggered on steep slopes in the sun. These weren't widespread and didn't pack much punch. I had to hunt for slopes that they would run on.

Photo:

None reported

Temperatures were cold in the morning but as soon as the sun hit you, it warmed up quickly. Winds were calm to light and I didn't observe any drifting snow.

I found between 3-5" of new snow in the Stemilt Basin, largely affected by recent very strong winds. Some slopes had old melt freeze crust, which skiied like great corn, and others had more thickly drifted new snow. This also skiied well.

I tested many wind drifted areas, but couldn't get any shooting cracks or small wind slabs to fail. A small wind slab did appear to have been triggered by a cornice on an east facing slope in the sun (see photo below). This was in the near treeline elevation band, and i'd guess that it occurred yesterday.

Wide cornice, with a fairly recent triggered wind slab underneath it.

Older melt freeze crust on the left, wind etched soft snow in the middle, and more thickly drifted new snow on the right.