Observation: Hatcher Pass

Location: Two-Mile Creek / East of Delia Creek

Date:
Observer:
Route & General Observations

Toured from Gold Mint at ~8am for two miles then turning south to meet up with an existing skin track going into what I believe is called Two-Mile Creek. Sky was nearly clear, clouds slowly increasing throughout the day though there was lots of sunshine. Once off Gold Mint trail and gaining elevation the snow got drastically better with no melt-freeze crust at the surface and much more dry, borderline pow! Temps decreased to 14F in the valley of “two-mile creek” and a surface wind slab started to show itself in variable locations from the Friday wind. Observed wet loose avalanches off rocks under a ridge across the valley to the east. They seemed to have been from last weeks warming events. Skinned up to under a ridge splitting creek valleys to dig a pit on a west aspect protected from the sun. Then went and dug a quick pit on a north aspect on the mountain between the creek and Teli Hill. Riding conditions were fantastic and the wind slab was easily avoidable.

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
Observer Comments

Recent wet loose avalanche activity on all sun effected aspects and saw debris of cornice breaks.

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

20F at car, 14F at pit location, no wind, partly cloudy-increasing slowly throughout the day, no precip

Snow surface

Soft dry powder on top of last weeks melt-freeze crust, highly reactive wind slabs varying in depth and hardness on certain aspects, and a melt-freeze crust around gold mint trail and lower elevations.

Snowpack

Dug one formal pit and one quick pit in separate locations. Formal pit profile and test results below.
Quick pit: 3,250', N aspect, 32slope angle. CTX. No BSH found at either pit. Buried melt-freeze crust found everywhere.

Photos & Video
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