Avalanche: Summit

Location: Tenderfoot

Date:
Observer:
Route & General Observations

Standard Tenderfoot up track to a high point of 2800′. Looking at the distribution and reactivity of the 1/21 Buried Surface Hoar (MLK Jr BSH), as well as any signs of instability related to the recent increased winds and the new snow/old snow interface.

Avalanche Details
If this is an avalanche observation, click yes below and fill in the form as best as you can. If people were involved, please provide details.
Trigger NaturalRemote Trigger0
Avalanche Type UnknownAspect Unknown
ElevationunknownSlope Angleunknown
Crown DepthunknownWidthunknown
Vertical Rununknown  
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)?Yes
Observer Comments

Recent wind slab debris on the west and southwest terrain of Butch. (D1-D1.5)
Wind slab debris on Moose mtn.

Cracking when jumped on in wind loaded features

Weather & Snow Characteristics
Please provide details to help us determine the weather and snowpack during the time this observation took place.
Weather

Mid Teens (F)
Clear - Few Sky
No Precip
Calm - Light NNW Winds, flagging observed at ridgelines

Snow surface

Parking lot ~1500': 5" of soft new snow with near surface facet layer at the bottom of the layer, above a supportable crust. Soft snow increasing as elevation.
~1900': Loss of supportable crust beneath new/old snow interface
~2400': Obvious multidirectional wind texture

Snowpack

The MLK Jr Day (1/21) BSH was still found at multiple elevation bands dependent on wind scouring. The MLK did still possess propagation propensity at 2500' in a more protected area.

Beginning at ~1700' we found large near surface facets buried 8" down and shearing in a planar fashion.

Tenderfoot Test Pit 1 - 2070' - HS: 130cm - W Aspect
The MLK Jr BSH (8mm) was found buried 50cm down with 1F hardness both above and below the layer. The MLK Jr BSH was also intermixed with faceting snow grains and below a small eggshell rimed crust.
CT14 down 25cm on near surface facets
CT25 down 50cm on MLK Jr BSH
ECTN27 down 50 cm on MLK Jr BSH
PST 65/100 (END) down 50cm on MLK Jr BSH

Tenderfoot Test Pit 2 - 2500' - HS:140cm - W Aspect
Found the MLK Jr BSH down 45cm with a pencil hard layer above and below it
Also found the near surface facet layer 10cm down, non reactive
ECTP26 down 45cm on MLK Jr BSH
ECTP29 down 45cm on MLK Jr BSH

Photos & Video
Please upload photos below. Maximum of 5 megabytes per image. Click here for help on resizing images. If you are having trouble uploading please email images separately to staff.