| Trigger | Natural | Remote Trigger | 0 |
| Avalanche Type | Dry Loose Snow | Aspect | West Northwest |
| Elevation | 4200ft | Slope Angle | unknown |
| Crown Depth | unknown | Width | 50ft |
| Vertical Run | 800ft |
Avalanche: Hatcher Pass
Location: Low elevation tours around Independence Mine parking lot
AAS Level 2 course gathered snowpack information below 3400′ on W Marmot, E Eldorado & N $1,000 Run.
Avalanche Details
Observed loose natural on one of the gullies on West face of Marmot. Did not see the starting zone well enough to give specifics, so most data estimations. Speculating wind as a trigger.
L-N-D1R1-O
Obvious signs of instability
| Recent Avalanches? | Yes |
| Collapsing (Whumphing)? | Yes |
| Cracking (Shooting cracks)? | No |
Observer Comments
Localized whumphing at low elevation.
Weather
Skies obscured all day.
Temps 15-20F, quite warm after yesterday's deep freeze.
Calm winds midday, but started picking up later in the afternoon.
LIght snow started 1300, rate S1 when leaving parking lot 1630.
Snow surface
Soft surface of faceted decomposing snow in low elevations.
Snowpack
HS 45-95cm, so still shallow continental snowpack at Hatcher. Variable general layering; in most places snowpack was unconsolidated and faceted; other places we found discontinuous midpack windslab.
Main layer of concern was ~30cm of depth hoar. Snowpack has moderate strength, moderate propagation propensity and poor structure.
Example test results: PST 15-45/100 @ top of depth hoar. ECTP25SC@top of depth hoar. CT20Q2@ below windslab on 18 deg slope.
Sizable and well developed depth hoar was the repeat offender in many stability tests.