Observation: Hatcher Pass

Location: Hatcher Pass

Date:
Observer:
Route & General Observations

We had three groups in the field for snowpack day. One group toured into the flats below thousand dollar run. Two groups toured into ray wallace bowl.

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

Over a foot of new snow in the parking lot at noon. Snowfall rates were above an inch an hour at times. Large dry loose avalanches were occurring in steep drainages throughout the tour.

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

Tons of new snow at independence mine parking lot. With 40cm of new snow at around 4pm in the parking lot. Extremely poor visibility through out the day. Calm winds throughout the day and temperatures stayed around 20F.

Snow surface

40-50cm of low density of storm snow was found throughout the tour today. Ski penetration was up to 60cm during the day. Snow began to rime in the afternoon

Snowpack

We dug pits in several locations today overall results were consistent despite being in different locations today. Overall poor structure, moderate strength and moderate propagation potenial.
Thousand Dollar Run
3200' E Aspect 28 degree slope
HS160
ECTN8 20cm storm snow
ECTN14 55cm 1.5mm Facets
ECTP20 81cm January facets

Microdot uptrack
3700' SW 18 degree
HS 200

CT16 Q2 56cm from surface
ECTP20 120cm down January facets