Northwest Avalanche Center

Observation: Public

All Observations

Observation Details

Name:
Jean Ruggiero
Observation Date:
March 29, 2023
Submitted:
March 30, 2023
Zone or Region:
Snoqualmie Pass
Activity:
Skiing/Snowboarding
Location:
Kaleetan via E Face, Granite Mtn West Bowl

Signs of Unstable Snow

None reported

Observations

Yesterday we traversed from the Alpental parking lot to the Granite Mtn trailhead. Route: Bryant Col via Great Scott Bowl -> Kaleetan via E face, descent via S face to Pratt River -> Granite Mtn via Tuscohatchie Lakes & NE ridge, descent via West Bowl.

We experienced a wide variety of snow conditions including isolated wind slabs up high and spring snow conditions down low. In areas with wind slab, a melt-freeze crust was present and was relatively firm. Above treeline, those slopes and areas without wind slabs consisted of supportable moist (but still firm, not too punchy) springtime snow excellent for kicking steps. The West Bowl of Granite was wind-scoured and frozen solid above 4500 ft by the time we skied down at dusk. Below 4500 ft, the bowl and drainage below held breakable crust.

Other conditions notes: Throughout the whole traverse, streams below 4500 ft were consistently open and snow was wet and heavy by the afternoon. The snow line on the south side of Granite is around 3500-3000ft. Large cornices still guard the top of the Kaleetan high & low chutes. The summit of Granite is also heavily corniced but you can avoid exposure to them by sticking to the ridges. We brought crampons for the steep sections but did not need to use them.

Advanced Observations

Observed Avalanche Problem #1: 
Wind Slab
Comments: 
Isolated wind slabs in Great Scott Bowl, Bryant Shoulder, Kaleetan E & S faces, and W face of Granite. Many small wind slabs were present in between wind-scoured areas above treeline. These were all above 4500 ft, varied in depth from a few inches to about 8 inches thick, and mostly sat above a firm melt-freeze crust. Between Great Scott Bowl & the shoulder of Bryant, wind slabs sat on top of graupel. No shooting cracks were observed.
Observed Avalanche Problem #2: 
Wet Slab
Comments: 
Around 4000 ft between the Pratt River & Upper Tuscohatchie lake, there were wet, heavy slabs atop drier snow. Some of these slid on small test slopes while skinning.
Observed Avalanche Problem #3: 
Wet Loose
Comments: 
Observed evidence of many small and medium natural loose wet avalanches from yesterday and today, mostly below cliff bands and in steep gullies.
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