Recent Avalanches

Wind Loading

Cracking

Poor Snowpack Structure

Not much natural avalanche activity observed. See photo of the one significant avalanche seen on the South face of the Highway to Heaven. This slide appeared to initiate as a Wet Loose Snow Avalanche from loose snow starting around the steep cliffs. Then as this debris entrained more snow the toe of this slide appeared to initiate a Wet Slab Avalanche. The slide was approximately 80 feet wide and ran 225 vertical. There was widespread evidence of windloading that was cracking in the early morning hours well before the sun was affecting the snow. This cracking was observed in 4 finger wind slabs on the SE facing, 35 degree terrain off of the shoulder of Peak 10321. Small cornice breaks were also observed and these initiated small, insignificant Soft Slabs. Of note, the lower ramp of the Y-Chute (Grannys) in the Wolverine Cirque had 8 to 10 inch sections of knife hard wind slabs with up to 5 inches of 4 finger underlying this wind slab. In this location, there was also another 3 inches of pencil hard wind slab directly under the 4 finger layer. This sandwich appeared to be suspect. Finally, in some areas in the northerly facing, upper alpine terrain (where there was just a thin layer of snow remaining on the mostly wind scoured slopes) there were areas with near surface facets on the snow surface. The extreme cold temperatures have appeared to help develope this potential weak layer on these northerly facing slopes, and they can be found in the steep upper starting zones.