Avalanche: Hatcher Pass

Location: Nosebleed -> Gold Cord

Date:
Observer:
Route & General Observations

Time: 1030-3pm

Route: Down Nosebleed then up to the Gold Chord hut, back down via SE aspect and cross hill

Weather: Few clouds, temps in 20s.
occasional light south to east winds, but some periods with moderate snow transport observed on ridgeline in the afternoon.

Snowpack: variety of surface conditions but generally ski penetration of 1-6ā€ of soft snow depending on aspect. occasional thin wind slabs – up to 8ā€ thick – on more northerly or westerly aspects. No formal tests, but a majority of these slabs sat on a softer but relatively thick layer, and w/ moderate results on hasty hand shear tests. Mid-elevation cornices in test slopes were quite soft and would fail with skier weight, but just under foot.

Avalanche Details
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Trigger SkierRemote Trigger No
Avalanche Type Soft SlabAspect Northwest
Elevation 4500ftSlope Angleunknown
Crown DepthunknownWidthunknown
Vertical Rununknown  
Avalanche Details

Observed one d1 slab, ~2-6ā€ thick, get triggered directly by a snowboarder off the top of nosebleed, and several other d1 slides on north to west aspects of nosebleed/microdot triggered throughout the day. From seeing other wind deposits iā€™m also thinking soft slab in nature. See pictures below.

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