20-21
Skier triggered and natural new snow avalanches in Beehive
From obs: 5/9/21: "Yesterday we went to check out the new snow in Beehive Basin.... While traversing... along the north ridge of 10602, we triggered a small wind slab that carried down into Peruvian, which then released another small w wind slab on a northeast a aspect of the face (photo). The crown height of this w wind slab was measured at 60cm at it's deepest point, and approximately 30ft wide by 10ft long.
Looking down into the face of Peruvian, we observed a natural dry loose slide that released from the ridge. We observed an increase in wind speed throughout the morning, and a shift in wind direction from west to southwest in the early morning moving to west to north west by the late morning."
From obs: 5/9/21: "Yesterday we went to check out the new snow in Beehive Basin... Looking down into the face of Peruvian, we observed a natural dry loose slide that released from the ridge... We observed an increase in wind speed throughout the morning, and a shift in wind direction from west to southwest in the early morning moving to west to north west by the late morning. The combination of variable and high winds with the amount of new snow available for transport created a noticeable increase in the hazard of wind slabs on all aspects we observed during the morning..." Photo: E.
From obs: 5/9/21: "Yesterday... While traversing... along the north ridge of 10602 [near Beehive], we triggered a small wind slab that carried down into Peruvian, which then released another small wind slab on a northeast aspect of the face (photo). The crown height of this wind slab was measured at 60cm at it's deepest point, and approximately 30ft wide by 10ft long. Looking down into the face of Peruvian, we observed a natural dry loose slide that released from the ridge.
From obs: 5/9/21: "Yesterday... While traversing... along the north ridge of 10602 [in Beehive], we triggered a small wind slab that carried down into Peruvian, which then released another small wind slab on a northeast aspect of the face (photo). The crown height of this wind slab was measured at 60cm at it's deepest point, and approximately 30ft wide by 10ft long. Looking down into the face of Peruvian, we observed a natural dry loose slide that released from the ridge.
From obs 5/9//21: "Yesterday we went to check out the new snow in Beehive Basin. We dug a pit on the south face of Peak 10602, and conducted an ECT with results ECTN8@20, ECTN11@30, and ECTN25@60. The new snow total in this location was 30cm. Although we saw no propagation, a hand shear test (photo) and a shear conducted on the remaining ECT block (photo) resulted in a Q1 shear at the interface at the bottom of the new snow.
Wet snow slides, natural and skier triggered
Multiple wet slides were reported in southern Madison and Tobacco Roots over the week 5/3-5/7.
Small wet loose slide that a skier triggered, running over an older crown from prior days. East aspect, 10,000'. From 5/7/21. Photo: D. Britt
Photo of a large natural wet avalanche in Taylor Fork, NNW aspect around 9,000' elevation near Koch Peak, on 5/3/21. Photo: D. Britt