Broad scale general survey on conditions in West Hatcher Pass. General observations include: very thin snowpack, rapidly getting thinner on solar aspects, on the far west side of Hatcher Pass, i.e. Wet Gulch, Broad Mountain Ridge, etc. Solar aspects in Craigie Creek are cooking out in the sun, and have widespread wet loose avalanches. North aspects above 3500′ are harboring a very deep snowpack. Tracks abound in the most popular areas, but many untracked lines can still be found!
HS-NC-R2-D2-U, Granite Mountain, North Aspect, 5000', ran to ~4200'. Slope angle unknown, time and date unknown, but debris only had yesterday's dusting of snow on it. Several blocks of debris were much larger than a person. Photos below.
Nearly every solar aspect has some kind of wet loose activity from warming last week.
No other signs of instability observed.
~1" of new snow from yesterday. Winds calm to light from the north. Temps in the upper teens / low 20's. Clear skies.
Widespread surface hoar on top of ~1" new snow from yesterday on settled powder from the 2/18 storm cycle.
Dug a pit adjacent to the D2 cornice triggered avalanche described above. HS > probe (270 cm). CT30RP down 100 cm on facets above the Chinese New Years drizzle crust. ECTX.
Location of previous cornice triggered avalanche and snow pit described above.
Cornice fall triggered avalanche on north side of Granite Mountain. Description in text above.
Large block of debris in cornice fall triggered avalanche on north side of Granite Mountain.
Nearly all solar aspects have some kind of wet loose avalanche activity from warming last week.
Even more remote areas like Purches Creek are heavily tracked, but lots of untracked lines can still be found.
A thin snowpack is getting thinner rapidly on solar aspects of Bald Mountain Ridge.