Observation: Hatcher Pass

Location: Bennett Ridge - 1000$ Run

Date:
Observer:
Fredrik Norrsell Professional
Route & General Observations

Overall good skiing, less new snow on S and E aspects. Where the new snow sits on top of a stout melt-freeze crust. Very poor visibility (in the clouds), making navigation, skiing and observations difficult. Light snowfall.

Red Flags
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Obvious signs of instability
Recent Avalanches?No
Collapsing (Whumphing)?Yes
Cracking (Shooting cracks)?No
Observer Comments

One collapse on a NE aspect, my ski-partner felt the collapse 40' away.

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

Light snowfall -1cm/hr. High humidity, mostly calm winds, but occasional gusts swirled through.

Snow surface

2" of dry new snow (Fist hardness) on top of, 4-10" partially settled new snow (4F hardness).

Snowpack

Highly reactive snow found on N aspects, where the "new" snow sits on top of near surface facets. ECTP12, CT1 Q1 (Sudden Collapse), CTC Q1 (Sudden Collapse).
On aspects without, near surface facets, stability, seemed fair to good. There were some density inversion in the new snow, and in some locations I observed a shear plane within the new snow.

Photos & Video
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Bennets Ridge NNE aspect  

Bennets Ridge SSE aspect  

Location
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