Observation: Hatcher Pass

Location: Marmot Mountain and midrib

Date:
Observer:
Route & General Observations

Travelled up Marmot, across ridge, and down mid-rib. Dug pits along the way. 5-6 inches new snow from 3/28 and 3/29 has turned into cream cheese below 3500′. Challenging traveling conditions and not super enjoyable. Low visibility.

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

No cracking, collapsing, whumping today. One person observed a 10 ft shooting crack on 3/30 on lower Presidents combined with a soft whump. Observed one natural on Arkose Ridge 4000' N facing likely from 3/29 or 3/30, SS-N-D1.5-O. No other natural or human triggered avalanches observed today.

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

5-6 inches new snow 3/28, 3/29. No new precip in over 24 hrs. No rain yet!
Wind gusts 15-30 mpg ESE and SSE 3/28-3/31. Calm winds today.
Warm temps 28 deg F at 1400 at 4500'.

Snow surface

Variable. New snow at low elevation almost wet enough to make snowball. New snow at mid elevation caking up on my skis. New snow at upper elevation formed wind slabs on leeward aspects. Conditions include : thick new snow, crusts, wind slabs, punching through slabs to basal facets- changing every few feet.

Snowpack

See pit
Overall: poor structure, low energy,
Most tests failed on NSF under crust 6-8" deep, aka the "mid-pack persistent slab"

Photos & Video
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