Observation: Hatcher Pass

Location: Frostbite

Date:
Observer:
Route & General Observations

Toured from Skeetawk up to Frostbite to investigate an avalanche that likely occurred on 11/27. We found ripe and delicious cranberries on scoured slopes and over a meter deep snowpack on leeward aspects with more supportable soft snow than last week. The persistent slab problem continues to linger but is very stubborn and will be hard to trigger.

 

Avalanche Details
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Avalanche Details

The avalanche we observed today we believe happened on 11/27 just after the 10" new snow combined with wind. The avalanche appeared to be a wind slab that stepped down into the persistent slab. This can be seen if you scroll into the photo showing a double crown. Large blocks of debris were visible near the crown which is estimated at 2-3' deep.

Red Flags
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Observer Comments

No recent signs of instability were observed today.
No cracking, collapsing or recent avalanches.
The last observed avalanches were on 11/29.

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

No new snow since 11/27
Calm wind and
Mild temps 20-22degF btw 3550' and 4500' today.

Snow surface

Snow surfaces were a mix of wind packed rounds, rime, decomposing and fragmented precipitation particles, and surfaces blown down to stout rain crusts on windward aspects.

Snowpack

We did numerous hand pits throughout our tour which revealed a shallow snowpack approximately 30cm/less than a ft deep with facets sitting on a basal crust on windward aspects and up to 185cm/6 ft deep 1F to P hard old stiff wind slabs sitting over moist basal facets on leeward aspects up to 3300'.
A pit we dug at 3140' on a N aspect and 30deg incline. HS 185cm with mostly 1F/P hard wind slab sitting over a crust facet sandwich comprised of decomposing crusts and moist F/4F basal facets. No stability tests were conducted in this pit.

Photos & Video
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