Observation Date: 01/31/2012

Route/Location:
around Morrell Basin

Weather:

Wind:

New Snow: 12+”

Avalanche Activity:
Jan24- very high winds, cloudy, cool- 7000′- eastern aspectThe compass direction a slope faces i.e. North, South, East, West.- 30-32 degree slope- top 4in failed on CT4, no quality. ECTN11 on wind crustA crust is a hard layer of snow where liquid water has refrozen into grain fabric. Crusts usually result from sun, rain or wind.A Wind CrustA crust is a hard layer of snow where liquid water has refrozen into grain fabric. Crusts usually result from sun, rain or wind. is formed when wind deposits a hard packed layer of blown snow, or scours the surface. These are often found on windwardThe upwind side of an obstacle such as a ridge. Usually snow is eroded from windward slopes making them relatively safer. slopes. 18in down

Jan25-continued high winds, cloudy cool- wind slabA relatively cohesive snowpack layer. A layer of snow stronger than underlying layers.A cohesive layer of snow formed when wind deposits snow onto leewardWind erodes snow from the windward (upwind) side of an obstacle and deposits snow on the leeward (downwind) side. Deposited snow looks smooth and rounded. You should always beware of recent deposits of wind drifted snow on steep slopes. terrain. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow. forming on ridges, wind from many directions creating crossloaded dune type features, cornices building quickly, “drift” is in- 7700′- eastern aspectThe compass direction a slope faces i.e. North, South, East, West.- 34 degree slope, ECTP12 18 inches down, propagated 1/2 way across block.

Jan26-14 inches plus over night, on SE aspectThe compass direction a slope faces i.e. North, South, East, West. wind slabA relatively cohesive snowpack layer. A layer of snow stronger than underlying layers.A cohesive layer of snow formed when wind deposits snow onto leewardWind erodes snow from the windward (upwind) side of an obstacle and deposits snow on the leeward (downwind) side. Deposited snow looks smooth and rounded. You should always beware of recent deposits of wind drifted snow on steep slopes. terrain. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow. not as prevelent, 7500′- 35 degree slope, new snow slough at CT5, no noted failures otherwise. mostly clear, warming

Jan 27 & 28- warming snow is setting up, some point reases noted on southerly slopes, roller balls noted on most S aspects below 6000′…snowing up high, light rain at 4500′

the following is from yurtskiers….
Jan 29, windy, pit on main skin trackThe portion of an avalanche path between the starting zone and the runout zone. from Alpine Yurt fractured clean 4ft down on a CT6,column remained intact, also broke on new snow about 24-30 inches down, but did not break clean.
Jan 30, 4-6 inches new snow overnight, windy. dug pit near lookout, no clean failures from new snow. Jan 31, 6-8inches overnight, less wind. pit near burnt trees showed wind loadingThe addition of weight on top of a snowpack, usually from precipitation, wind drifting, or a person.The added weight of wind drifted snow. of new snow typical of pit dug on 29th with large cohesive column breaking clean 4-5 ft down during compression test.

I poked around on 31st and on a 34 degree easterly slope had new snow failing 8 inches down on CT7 as slough, CT15 Q2 failed 75-80cm down in a four finger cohesive column, ECTN22 at same 75-80 cm layer, calm winds and snowing heavily, inch an hour type snow

Other Comments:
there is a lot of variablity in our snow pack, poke around and pay attention as you change aspects, over a few days snow went from whipped cream to blower and back and forth again.

Observer: carl sievers