| Trigger | Unknown | Remote Trigger | Unknown |
| Avalanche Type | Unknown | Aspect | Unknown |
| Elevation | unknown | Slope Angle | unknown |
| Crown Depth | unknown | Width | unknown |
| Vertical Run | unknown |
Avalanche: Hatcher Pass
Location: Storm recon tour with avalanche photos
The goal of the day was to take advantage of excellent visibility to document recent avalanches from yesterday’s storm and look at the new/old snow interface. Tons of folks were out enjoying the new snow and sunshine recreating today. We observed many people who triggered small to medium size loose dry sluffs in steep terrain. We did not experience any cracking or whumping on our tour up into Eldorado bowl. We observed avalanche activity that occurred during and at the end of the storm yesterday including several small and a few large storm slabs in addition to numerous small to large loose dry sluffs.
Obvious signs of instability
| Recent Avalanches? | Yes |
| Collapsing (Whumphing)? | No |
| Cracking (Shooting cracks)? | No |
Observer Comments
See photos for avalanche information and activity.
Weather
The MLK storm brought a delightful 10 inches of new snow with 0.9 inches SWE @ IM 3550' and 6 inches new snow with 0.6" SWE @ Frostbite 2700'. 8-10 inches of new snow was observed above 3500' in the Eldorado Bowl area.
Unfortunately the Marmot anemometer was rimed today so wind data is not available. Winds were calm on our tour.
Temperatures ranged from 11-14 deg F at 3550' today and a balmy 8-14 degF on Marmot at 4500'.
Snow surface
Snow surfaces are soft and a mix of precipitation particles with small surface hoar that formed overnight.
Snowpack
Pole tests throughout the day revealed a slight temperature inversion during the first half of the storm and a right side up snowpack for the second half. The new storm slab is barely cohesive enough to act as a slab in most locations and is rapidly losing density with the cold temperatures.
In isolated locations at upper elevation on northerly aspects hand pits revealed easy hand shears with new snow failing on old faceted grains approximately 12" deep.
Idaho Peak Natural Loose dry avalanche S 3600' that occurred 1/14
1/15 Above Divide ridge/Idaho peak , natural dry loose avalanche SSW 3800'
1/15 Skyscraper natural loose dry avalanches E 4000'
1/15 Marmot Lodge run slab and sluffs
1/15 Lower Martin Mine debris
1/15 Debris in lower Martin Mine
1/15 Natural loose dry avalanches , Skyscraper SE 4000'
1/15 Little loose dry avalanches , lower Eldorado E 3600'
Large natural slab avalanche from 1/14 behind cable valley and west of the Pinnacle S 5000'
1/15 Slab and sluffs between Birthday Pass and Black Profit SE 4500'
Natural slab avalanche between Gold Chord and Friendship Pass from 1/14 SSE 5000'
1/15 Lodge Run, slabs and sluffs SW 4500'
Full view of avalanche
1/15 Marmot natural slab avalanche that triggered a sluff and maybe caught and carried a wolverine, W 4500'
1/15 Lower Presidents, natural loose dry avalanches SE 2500'
Idaho Peak Natural Loose dry avalanche S 3600' that occurred 1/14
1/15 Human triggered sluffs , lower Eldorado E 3600'
1/15 Natural loose dry avalanches , Eldorado Bowl N 4500'