Observation: Other Regions

Location: Carter/Crescent Lake, 3800' NE aspect Madson

Date:
Observer:
Route & General Observations

Traveled up Carter Lake Trail to check on cabins and to see what that area
looked like. Lots of 1-2 day old avalanches out of steep terrain gullies and
off of rock bands some D-2 but generally similar in size or slightly larger
than those at Summit Lake. Snowpack depth was variable with wind loading and
dug one pit at start of crescent lake. Sensitive sun crust similar to that at
Summit CT1Q1/2 and CT27Q2 60 cm down on facet layer SE aspect. In this pit
layers were similar to what was found on Gilpatrick yesterday with similar hard
shears. Snow depth here at valley floor in a wind affected area 185 cm.

Lots of people playing on the slopes with some highmarks that were respectable
with no human triggered avalanches. We then traveled up the valley behind LV
Ray all the way to the back bowl no instabilities noted even though I had to
highmark a steeper bowl going up guess about 30-35 degrees but made it past on
the second try with more head speed to make it up and over. Traveled further
up the drainage to about 3800′ when we hit a bowl at the end of the drainage
with cliff bands and extreme terrain. One shallow surface slab up there high
up on Madson Mt 5200′. Not much avalanche activity here wind hammered and
blown off. Pretty cool area and not traveled very often due to alder problems
most years. Good solid snowpack. Powder with good base on slab.
LOW Avalanche Danger. No problems noted with people playing pretty hard.