Thursday, January 18, 2024

Avalanche Action on Mt. Shasta, photos from January 14th and 15th

 


Lots of snow up high, and lots more to come over the next week.


Wind scoured snow on the ridge at Powder Bowl


Crown line of the Powder Bowl avalanche


Casaval avalanches at 9,500 to 10,000 feet in elevation

All above photos by Eric Falconer


Sun Bowl avalanche debris

Photo by Samuel Clairmont

Of the ten avalanches observed, they all occurred above treeline on east and south aspects beneath wind catchment features and resulted from wind loading. One slide was observed on a southwest aspect due to cross-loading. The avalanches on Powder Bowl/Sun Bowl, Casaval Ridge, and Green Butte were the largest. Estimated crown depths ranged from 1-5 feet. 



2 comments:

  1. Really interesting. I follow the radar closely as the storms come in and observed that you're getting quite a bit more action than we here in the north/central Sierra are getting. We've not received anywhere near our average seasonal precip so far this year. I'm glad you're getting it up there.

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  2. I was above an avalanche in Colorado and you could barely hear it. Just a slight whoosh, you'd never know it was coming until it was too late.

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