Observation: Hatcher Pass

Location: 4068 NE Aspect

Date:
Observer:
Route & General Observations

Toured up from Marmot parking lot through thin coverage until about 3000′. Good visibility and great skiing, saw some wet loose avalanches on Sunny Side of Hatch Peak that emptied into the bottom of the valley.

Weather & Snow Characteristics
Please provide details to help us determine the weather and snowpack during the time this observation took place.
Weather

Fair weather with little to no wind(SE @ ~5mph), 25°F and partly sunny with increased cloud cover throughout the afternoon.

Snow surface

Soft, dry snow with denser, more compact snow ~8in below the surface. Observed light wind effect on ridge tops forming small cornices and a thin wind slab on snow surface.

Snowpack

Dug snow pit at ~4000' for an ECT, resulted in ECTX; faceted snow crystals until about 3in above tundra; most of the snowpack was dense and consistent with no distinct weak layers; fresh, dry snow on top. Through ECT there was no propagation or fractures, after 30 taps we did several extra hard hits to try and initiate any fractures and only observed the snow compacting on itself. Snow pack depth 85-100cm.