Observation: Hatcher Pass

Location: Base of “Farside” run, South of The Pinnacle

Date:
Observer:
Route & General Observations

Toured up from Independence parking lot through rock garden to base of Farside run below The Pinnacle.

Red Flags
Red flags are simple visual clues that are a sign of potential avalanche danger. Please record any sign of red flags below.
Observer Comments

No obvious signs of instability while touring up to this point.

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

Noted banners of snow transport on skyscraper ridge but no local wind - felt protected. Fully overcast with very gray flat light. Hard to make out numerous microfeatures in the terrain

Snow surface

Consistent 10-20cm light loose dry snow on top of hard crust

Snowpack

Dug snow pit at marked location. Found conditIons at following depths:
0-20 cm: loose dry snow softer than fist
20-30cm: hard crust, bare finger (no pencil handy)
30cm layer: persistent Q2 shear layer throughout
30-40cm: tip hard
40-65cm: four tips
65-deeper: didn’t dig further

Column compression test failed at 22. Shear at 30cm deep Q2 layer. Was able to cleanly lift block off. See video

Repeated test with large 60cm sides block failed informal hand pull shear test at same layer.

Photos & Video
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