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Observation: Birch Creek

Observation Date
1/13/2025
Observer Name
Magerl
Region
Skyline » Birch Creek
Location Name or Route
Birch Creek
Weather
Sky
Broken
Precipitation
Light Snowfall
Wind Direction
West
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Sunny and cold, cloudy and cold, light to moderate wind and cold .... Felt like single-digit all day. Full sun at 10 A.M., light snowfall to sometimes moderate snowfall starting around noon and never stopping. Clouds packed in by 3 P.M. Little snow accumulation between noon and 4 P.M., almost no snow transport from wind.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
2"
New Snow Density
Low
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments
Very good snow. Light fluff, easy turns. Poles easily go to the ground. Saw some feathers starting Sunday near Electric Lake after the cold, clear Saturday night. Even more very large feathers this morning . Trees completely coated with hoar frost.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Collapsing
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
Collapse felt and heard by several members of our party on a flat area at 9,400 feet. A pit there revealed 45 cm of sugar at the base under an additional 55 cm of snow. Total depth 100 cm.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Problem #1 Comments
Mixed signals out there. Clear collapse of a large flat area as we skinned over it. No other collapsing, cracking or whumphing in six hours of turns and skinning. Hit several short pitches steeper than 35 degrees (north-facing, between 9,200 feet and 8,800 feet) and could not provoke the snow, not even sloughing. There is obviously a weak layer that is very thick and that can fail, as shown by the collapse. But it is becoming less touchy?
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Considerable
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate