| Recent Avalanches? | No |
| Collapsing (Whumphing)? | No |
| Cracking (Shooting cracks)? | Yes |
Observation: Hatcher Pass
Location: $1000 Run
Skied from PL below Hatcher Pass Rd gate up along the N. side of Hatcher Ck and up $1000 bench to high pt at 3850 ft. Sign of recent sluff avalanches on W. end of Sky Scraper Mtn (pic). Shooting cracks during ski tests along steep gully walls.
Obvious signs of instability
Observer Comments
Noted small boarder?-caused D1 avalanches on on W.end of SE aspect of Skyscraper Ridge. Ski cut tests on north and south aspects of 33-36deg gully walls of Hatcher Ck at 3350ft produced 10-15cm thick soft slab SCS releases (pic). Attempt at quick pit at 3700ft resulted in 10x10ft soft slab release.
Weather
Bluebird day. Slight downslope breeze at PL in am. Calm rest of day. At 1300 was 7F at 3700ft with As clouds moving in from the W.
Snow surface
At PL 30-60cm loose new and wind deposited snow. Wind crust mixed with loose above 3800ft. Abundant wind "rippling" on SW aspect of Marmot Mtn (pic).
Snowpack
Did quick pit at 3700ft on NE065 aspect on $1000. First attempt on 38deg slope resulted in 10-20cm 10ft wide soft slab release which ran a few ft. Due to safety concerns moved over to a 28deg slope to complete pit. 160cm snowpack depth. Pit to 120cm from surface. Top down 0-19cm F broken particles and wind transported snow. 19-99cm1Frounds? At 100cm hit top of 10cm PM/F crust. 4Ffacets under M/F crust. Got STC on 19cm thick wind transported surface layer over denser snow. Got CT2Q3 on same layer and CT12Q3@29cm at snow density? change. ECT inconclusive as tapping only collapsed surface layer of concern with no shearing.
Results of ski cut test on on N.aspect of Hatcher Ck gully wall.
Effects of wind "rippling" on SW aspect of Marmot mtn.
Boarder?-caused sluff avalanches on SE aspect at W. end of Skyscraper Mtn
Skier-caused sluffs on SW aspect marmot Mtn