| Recent Avalanches? | Yes |
| Collapsing (Whumphing)? | No |
| Cracking (Shooting cracks)? | No |
Observation: Portage / Placer
Location: Skookum drainage
Skookum Glacier to multiple valleys on south side of drainage. High point 3,300′ ish. One small natural wind slab.
Obvious signs of instability
Observer Comments
One small natural wind slab on East facing subridge on south side of Skookum drainage, ~3,000' in elevation. Estimated at 200' wide, 6" deep, running only around 100'.
*Wind loading by outflow NW winds at elevations above 2,000'.
Weather
Mostly sunny. Strong ridgetop winds from NW, snow transport and plumes widespread along ridgelines. Temps in the 20'sF.
Snow surface
4-8" of soft powder snow over a firmer wind effected base.
Snowpack
Only assessed the new/old snow interface. Around 10-16" of settled storm snow from the past two systems (last 5 days).
Pit: NE @ 1,200'
ECTP 13,15,11 all three tests failed 10" down on weak snow right at the new/old snow interface. Weak layer was a mix of stellars and near surface facets. Roughly 1" thick layer of near surface facets sits on a stout crust at this elevation.
Informal pit at 3,000', W aspect.
16" storm snow over weak older snow (no crust seen). Stubborn hand pit, much more stubborn that pit at 1,200'.
Strong NW outflow winds transporting snow off Bench Pk massif. Photo looking south up the Placer River Valley.
Small natural wind slab, roughly 200' wide, 6" deep and running ~100'.
Looking north over the toe of the Skookum glacier. Beautiful day once the clouds parted in areas out of the wind!