Observation: Cougar Peak 3/7/2010

Observer Name:

Erik Syrstad

Observation Date:

03/07/2010

Region:

Cougar Peak
Cherry Creek
Logan

Snow Characteristics

Snow Characteristic Comments:

Wind was quickly depositing new snow up there, and the fresh soft slabs were shallow but very sensitive. Pits continue to show high spatial variability. Rock solid in the trees where the hoar didn't grow, but easy-moderate clean shears on multiple layers up to 3 feet deep, and variable compression results, in more open / shady slopes. The only consistent thing I'm finding is negative results on ECT's everywhere. No propagation through the slab. I'm still not hitting steep open slopes.

Red Flags

Recent Avalanches

Wind Loading

snow_profile_location:

Comments - Photos - Videos (group 1)

The picture of the crown is from the one up high - 42" deep, but that includes some snow that fell since. I dug out the new snow to the bed surface, which was a very hard crust. The weak layer appeared to be a fat layer of facets that grew on top - a couple inches deep. Probably pencil to knife hard slab. Lots of rocks were barely poking through the bed surface, which I'm sure helped the facets grow. Debris ran at least 1200 or 1300 vert, maybe more.

Comments - Photos - Videos (group 2)

The lower slide had about a 3 foot crown, and also slid on a very smooth, very hard bed. The weak layer was much thinner and tougher to identify. You can see in one of the pictures the obvious trigger point, a steep rollover mid-slope. This sucker was wide - maybe 250'? Debris ran far into the trees, maybe 500' total.

Comments - Photos - Videos (group 3)

I also included a picture of a smaller slide that occurred on the north face of Cougar, at about 9200'.

Comments - Photos - Videos (group 4)