Avalanches and Instability

Avalanches and Instability

Date
Activity
Snowmobiling

Visibility was good enough so we headed into the weather station and dug on the E facing slope. The instability was concerning and we tip-toed out onto the slope with an inclinometer in hand. It was thin (HS 105) and the 2 prominent weak layers were there: ECTP11 on the upper one and ECTP12 on the facets/depth hoar. We then rode into Sage Basin and found natural avalanche activity on the N facing side. It looked like the slope fractured on the upper layer and on steep terrain it broke to the ground. We dug another on the east end of Sage and had a 176 cm deep snowpack that was unremarkable. On the way out we stopped at Consolation Hill (SE facing) and I got a big whumpf with a body slam as footsteps were just sinking to the ground. This snowpack was thin (HS 87) and it broke on the depth hoar at 35 cm (ECTP11).

Region
Southern Madison
Location (from list)
Taylor Fork
Observer Name
Doug Chabot