Avalanche: Hatcher Pass

Toured up Marmot yesterday to the top of the north side and skied the 2nd chute. First skier in broke out a wind-loaded sidewall. Crown was about 50 ft across and 3-4 feet deep. It ran about 400 ft down the rest of the chute where the pile spread out nicely. No one was caught. The bed surface was an icy crust.

Today toured up stairstep to the top of the banana couloir. Knocked in some cornice with no results. The snow looked good but thin. The 2nd skier triggered a slab after he came out of the couloir, near the rocks. Crown 2-3 ft deep, 50 feet wide. It broke a bit above him and he rode it briefly, but the pile again spread out nicely and he came out on top, with all gear. Climbing back on to stairstep ridge there were some large area collapses.