Northwest Avalanche Center

Observation: Public

All Observations

Observation Details

Name:
Tripp Denison
Observation Date:
January 8, 2022
Submitted:
January 9, 2022
Zone or Region:
Stevens Pass
Activity:
Skiing/Snowboarding
Location:
Cowboy Mountain, top of Tye Mill chair.

Observed Avalanches

Did you observe any avalanches? 
Yes
Avalanche Type:
Soft Slab
Size:
Size 2: Could bury, injure, or kill a person
Elevation:
5200'
Aspect:
NW
Comments:
Natural storm slab crown of ~12" on steep NW aspect. Winds had scoured up W aspect and loaded the "Backside" on E aspect - found small cornices and drifts that broke as wind slabs at ~6" on E aspect.

Signs of Unstable Snow

None reported

Observations

Ski penetration=6", boot penetration=20" on wind-scoured W aspect. Tree branches had a frozen layer beneath snow. Dug a pit on W aspect, found layered density changes back and forth between 4f and 1f in top meter of snowpack, no evidence of crusts, no sugary layer present. Total snowpack depth of 3.3 meters. Irregular fractures in storm layers on shear test. Skied buttery wind-affected snow on W aspect, no fractures or collapsing, avoided wind-loaded E aspects.

WordPress Lightbox