Northwest Avalanche Center

Observation: Public

All Observations

Observation Details

Name:
Isabelle Eelnurme
Observation Date:
April 13, 2021
Submitted:
April 13, 2021
Zone or Region:
West North
Activity:
Skiing/Snowboarding
Location:
Mt Ann/Swift Creek

Observed Avalanches

Did you observe any avalanches? 
Yes
Avalanche Type:
Wet Loose
Size:
Size 2: Could bury, injure, or kill a person
Elevation:
5000'
Aspect:
W
Comments:
Large natural wet loose avalanche near Lake Ann
Photo:

Signs of Unstable Snow

None reported

Observations

Terrain: Left from Heather Meadows parking lot and headed towards Huntoon Point. Found some sick pow on a north facing line. Then headed towards Mt Ann along swift creek. Skin track was a little firm and a bit treacherous at 9am but had softened up enough by the afternoon to be pleasant. Climbed to saddle between Mt Ann and Annette and found some sweet snow on north facing aspect.
Avalanche: Noticed many D1-D2 wet loose avalanches that have released in the last three days. Saw a glide avalanche around 4500' across the valley under swift creek. The wet loose avalanches throughout the week could gather debris from previous slides and grow in size. Cornices are also hanging heavy with warm afternoons.
Snowpack: Melt freeze cycle is firming up the south aspects. Corn could be good in the afternoon. Warming effects are creeping in from west and east but there is still some sneaky north facing pow to be had. Some wind buffed snow at higher elevations but wind lip test slope proved to not be reactive.
Weather: Forecasted NE winds in the morning could be seen transporting snow high up on shuksan. Areas could be wind loaded from this but didn't find any evidence of this where we skied.

Media

Wind moving snow up on shuksan
Dry powder on due north aspects, loose wet activity creeping around the compass onto NW and NE aspects
Large cornices on saddle
Glide avalanche mentioned
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