| Recent Avalanches? | Yes |
| Collapsing (Whumphing)? | No |
| Cracking (Shooting cracks)? | No |
Observation: Hatcher Pass
Location: Microdot SW Ridge
Toured up from Independence lot around 9am towards Microdot to check on how things faired after last nights mini storm. Beautiful, warm sunny morning!
Obvious signs of instability
Observer Comments
Multiple avalanche visible throughout the area. Most seemed to have occurred yesterday (2/10) and at the tail end of the storm as debris was partially snowed on. Pictures below
On south to west aspects (clockwise) wind effect was encountered but no cracking/collapsing observed (at ~4200').
Weather
9:30 am at parking lot, 3100'
14°F, Clear skies, Light winds from the NE
10:40 am at pit location, 4000'
16°F, Few clouds, Calm winds gusting light from the ENE
1:00 pm at parking lot, 3100'
26°F, Few clouds, Calm-light winds from NE
Observed light wind transport on ridges throughout the tour
Snow surface
~4in of new snow at the parking lot. Conditions were mostly powder at and below 4000' on S aspects. More westerly aspects had various levels of wind effect. Most of the ridge up Microdot was fairly scoured and some slabby pockets were found
Snowpack
Dug a pit on a south aspect off of the SW ridge of Microdot at 4000'
Pit profile and sidewall pics below
The snowpack in this location was heavily faceted. Almost all but the new snow was faceted grains that gained size with depth
CT11SC x2 17cm down at new/old interface
CT23SC x2 89cm down in a layer of chained depth hoar (5mm)
PST 40/100 END 89cm down, energetic!
20240211MicrodotPit
Microdot S-11-Feb
Avalanche in Eldorado Bowl
Avalanche just north of Eldorado
Debris in Rae Wallace
Debris and old partially filled in crown? Rae Wallace
Chained Depth Hoar near ground
Large Striated grains low in snowpack
Grains that made up the bottom 42cm of snowpack