Avalanche: Hatcher Pass

Location: Marmot NW Face

Date:
Observer:
Anonymous
Route & General Observations

5″ fresh snow, pretty wet at the parking lot, dried out with elevation, but not fully. Natural avalanches from storm, covered in a couple of inches of snow.

Avalanche Details
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Trigger SkierRemote Trigger0
Avalanche Type Soft SlabAspect North Northwest
Elevation 4400ftSlope Angle 45deg
Crown Depth 6inWidth 150ft
Vertical Run 300ft  
Avalanche Details

Skied off the top of Marmot Ridge onto the N face. Started skiing right of the fall-line on one of those spiney ridges, and then cut skiers left to get on top of it, then the storm slab released. A section broke out, was not deep enough to carry me. I then continued cutting and another storm slab released. Avalanches stopped before the end of the couloir / apron.

Red Flags
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Obvious signs of instability
Recent Avalanches?Yes
Collapsing (Whumphing)?No
Cracking (Shooting cracks)?No
Observer Comments

Small natural avalanches from storm. New snow.

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

Light to no wind, mostly cloudy, below freezing on ridge tops.

Snow surface

A noticeable dense slab on top, definite wind loading, possible soft wind slabs. New snow was wet at the parking lot; progressively dried with elevation but still heavy at the ridge top.

Snowpack

No snow science was performed

Location
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