Observation type
Avalanche Observer Annonymous Keep me anonymous if published yes Location (general area) Cerro Noroeste, North Side @ 7200 Feet Latitude Longitude Date (yyyymmdd) 20230326 Time 1:00 PM Road conditions to area Clear Temperature 35 F Sky Scattered clouds (3/8 to 4/8) Wind speed Light (1-16mph Flags/twigs in motion) Wind direction NE Wind direction in degrees Slope aspect North Aspect in degrees Slope angle Elevation ~7200 Snow depth Varied Boot/ Ski penetration 4-8 inches Precipitation None Activity, recent avalanches yes Brief description Natural Avalanche Debris observation. North side of Cerro Noroeste ~7500Ft Whumphing noises, shooting cracks. collapsing no Rapid warming no Obvious avalanche path yes Terrain trap yes Comment I was on my second descent of Cerro Noroeste of the day ~1:00 PM. Conditions were variable with north facing trees holding pockets of soft snow, with a crust forming in areas with significant sun exposure. Skiing the bowl, I observed an opening at about 7500 ft. Making turns in soft snow, as pitch increased, I realized I was funneling into chute with avalanche potential, but continued being relatively confident in snow stability today, considering recent rain events with only the most recent precip. falling as snow. About 1/3 of the way down I felt a transition to firmer/harder conditions. Noting some turns that felt like 8-12 inches directly on top on scree/rocks. About 2/3 of the way down, seeing a safe(ish) spot, I pulled off the avy path to rest/evaluate. Knowing the chute had slide prior to the recent storm, I was expecting to see debris/run-out, but was surprised by the depth (>20 feet deep) and magnitide (~300 feet long). It appears to have been a natural slide, possibly triggered by the rain event. Publish this observation Yes I would like this observation Published |
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