Observation: Hatcher Pass

Location: Microdot to Archagel

Date:
Observer:
Russell Johanson
Route & General Observations

We did the standard uptrack to Microdot then dropped the backside towards Archangel. Skied a few ESE facing lines in Sidney Creek drainage. As the pros are saying, spatial variability is impressively high.

Red Flags
Red flags are simple visual clues that are a sign of potential avalanche danger. Please record any sign of red flags below.
Obvious signs of instability
Recent Avalanches?Yes
Collapsing (Whumphing)?No
Cracking (Shooting cracks)?No
Weather & Snow Characteristics
Please provide details to help us determine the weather and snowpack during the time this observation took place.
Weather

Calm, clear, sunny with significant solar gain on southerly aspects

Snow surface

In this drainage, on these aspects, there was soft, settling powder snow from the recent storms with no wind crust. Ridgetops had been windloaded in most directions, with many old naturals (likely from 2/22 snow loading) covered by more recent storm snow from 2/26.

Snowpack

In this drainage, on ESE faces, the storm snow was settling and rightside-up, bonding well to 2/22 snow and Valentine's storm snow, with facets and melt-freeze crust below. Many quick hand pits along the route consistently has sudden breaking on the facets. Snow depth highly variable. On almost every other aspect on which we traveled, there was some thin breakable wind crust and more consolidated wind slab bonding poorly to underlying 2/22 snow.