Observer Name
Doug Wewer
Observation Date
Monday, February 24, 2020
Avalanche Date
Monday, February 24, 2020
Region
Logan
Location Name or Route
Blind Hollow Yurt Ski Zone, Cottonwood, Sisters
Elevation
9,000'
Aspect
Northeast
Trigger
Skier
Trigger: additional info
Intentionally Triggered
Avalanche Type
Dry Loose
Avalanche Problem
New Snow
Width
40'
Vertical
200'
Comments
Our party skied the terrain west of the Blind Hollow Yurt today. We triggered multiple sluffs on our descent in steep terrain (>40 deg), NE aspect near 9000'. For the first 200' vertical, nearly everything I touched sluffed out. The new light snow was sliding on a crust, probably from 2/7.
I also saw evidence of a recent natural cycle - also dry, loose snow sluffs, on very steep slopes. It appeared fresh enough to have been from earlier today, but may have been from last Sunday/Monday's storm. the light was extremely flat and was difficult to determine from a distance. None of the photos I took were useable either.
Despite moderate wind gusts on the ridgeline we ascended, I was unable to find any substantial wind loaded areas. I did not find any cracking or collapsing in the new snow. Overall, winds were generally calm except in localized areas and on the highest ridgelines. 2-3" total new light density snow today.
Prior to the new snow, on 2/23, the vast majority of the terrain we travelled on had a substantial melt-freeze surface crust - both breakable and supportable. Many slopes were wet or moist during the peak sun mid-day. I searched for dry snow and only found it on true NW to NE aspects and along shady gully bottoms.
Coordinates