A snowmobiler found very touchy conditions in Portal Creek. The new snow easily avalanched on road cuts so they went home. Photo: @jakehopfinger
We saw a group of six snowmobilers who said they triggered these slides in McAtee Basin on the left side of the meadow on Saturday, Feb 8. I didn't see tracks up on the hill or sidehill tracks so they may have triggered the slope from the flats below. The debris runs all the way to bottom of the hill. Photo: K Peaslee
We saw a group of six snowmobilers who said they triggered these slides in McAtee Basin on the left side of the meadow on Saturday, Feb 8. I didn't see tracks up on the hill or sidehill tracks so they may have triggered the slope from the flats below. The debris runs all the way to bottom of the hill. Photo: K Peaslee
We saw a group of six snowmobilers who said they triggered these slides in McAtee Basin on the left side of the meadow on Saturday, Feb 8. I didn't see tracks up on the hill or sidehill tracks so they may have triggered the slope from the flats below. The debris runs all the way to bottom of the hill. Photo: K Peaslee
A natural 4-8' deep slab avalanche broke on Saddle Peak within the last couple days (2/6 or 2/7) during the current storm. The mountains received 3-5 feet of snow equal to 3-5" of SWE over the last week with more snow in the forecast.
A natural 4-8' deep slab avalanche broke on Saddle Peak within the last couple days (2/6 or 2/7) during the current storm. The mountains received 3-5 feet of snow equal to 3-5" of SWE over the last week with more snow in the forecast. Photo: GNFAC
A natural 4-8' deep slab avalanche broke on Saddle Peak within the last couple days (2/6 or 2/7) during the current storm. Huge avalanches like this are likely and can be triggered by a human for the next couple days. The mountains received 3-5 feet of snow equal to 3-5" of SWE over the last week with more snow in the forecast. This heavy load is overloading a fragile snowpack, especially on wind loaded slopes. Travel conservatively. Photo: GNFAC
"Noted several avalanches (NW aspect ~ 8800') off of Elephant that traveled quite far into the trees where the summer trail typically runs, all appear to be new snow, D1- D2 in size, average 2' crowns, running on old/new interface from Feb 2. They appear to have run midstorm, sometime yesterday (photos 1,2,3). Above 9000', W Winds were crafting fresh wind slabs that were most reactive on a midstorm crystal/density change that buried a layer of stellars ~ 1' deep in shallower spots, topped with denser snow."
"Noted two SS-D1.5/2 naturals (presuming based on lack of any sort of tracks) on Wheeler, typical spots for these conditions, both SE aspect around 8000'."
Dave Zinn dug a snowpit lookers right of the slides in the next path on Wednesday, 2/5, a couple days before the storm. He found weak snow that was ready to avalanche.
"Noted two SS-D1.5/2 naturals (presuming based on lack of any sort of tracks) on Wheeler, typical spots for these conditions, both SE aspect around 8000'." Photo: G. Antoniolli
