Observation: Hatcher Pass

Location: Lane Glacier

Date:
Observer:
Route & General Observations

Started at the Monolith, continued up over the boulder field onto the Lane. Were able to use our skins sooner than expected.

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

Melting snow and falling ice from the rock walls around and above the glacier.

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

Low morning clouds with a few sucker holes. Afternoon clouds moving to a high ceiling, providing great visibility. Very light wind by the afternoon.

Snow surface

New snow in the valley was slushy on the morning hike in and melted out by the afternoon. Wet heavy snow, perfect for snowman making, at the boulders and at the base of the glacier, getting a little drier but still heavy at the top. Thin layer of ice near the boulders. Surface was variable with small round snow at mid and top of the glacier.

Snowpack

No formal pit but dug a few quick hand pits.
Snow depth varied from 1.5ft - 3ft deep.
Layer about 7 inches down that broke clean in all the hand pits, on the glacier, consisted of larger round snow. No womfing or shooting cracks were observed.