Snowpit on Butterfield 2.24.09

This pit was performed on an ESE, 32* slope at 9500'. Beneath 10" of recent storm snow there was a stacked layer of facets and crusts that are extremely weak and barely clinging to the new load. An Extended Column Test failed across the entire block on the 3rd tap from the wrist. A previous ECT failed on the 2nd tap. These test results indicate a high likelihood that you could initiate and propagate a fracture on similar slopes. Indeed, a ski cut on a windloaded, easterly aspect released a signficant avalanche on this same layer.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• snfac
• sawtooth
• avalanche

[holmanjr]

thanks for keeping us informed....ever winter is different and this one is certainly not the exception.