Observation: Public

All Observations

Observation Details

Name:

Enji

Observation Date:

April 13, 2021

Submitted:

April 14, 2021

Zone or Region:

Stevens Pass

Activity:

XC Skiing/Snowshoeing

Location:

Jim Hill Mountain (Henry Creek drainage)

Signs of Unstable Snow

Did you see shooting cracks?

Yes, Isolated

Did you experience collapsing or whumpfing?

No

Observations

Hand shear tests identified a small wind slab that was starting to form on N facing aspects when going up the Henry Creek drainage area. There was a lot of N wind (going between NE, N, and NW wind) blowing surface snow around yesterday (gusts estimated around 15+mph). The hand shear broke in a planar manner down low though, so I wasn't super concerned about pushing further.

Creek holes were opening up down lower (around 3k'); I accidentally postholed several times going off an old downtrack in the morning and one of the areas I postholed ate my entire leg (about 2').

More details: https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-reports/trip_report-2021-04-14-2758958334

Media

Wind texturing along

Summit ridge looking S/SW

Creek holes starting to open up down low

Small (~4cm) wind slabs were forming on N aspects around 5.75k'~6.25k'.

Advanced Observations

Observed Avalanche Problem #1:

Wet Loose

Comments:

Observed old wet loose debris (D1) on W facing aspects lower down the Henry Creek drainage and the S face of the Jim Hill Mountain ridge down a col.

Observed Avalanche Problem #2:

Cornice

Comments:

Lots of cornices along the summit ridge of varying size/overhangs.

Observed Avalanche Problem #3:

Wind Slab

Comments:

Ran into small isolated wind slabs up higher (5.75k'~6k') (see hand shear test pic).

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