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Professional Observation

Basic Information

Observation Details

Observation Date:
December 25, 2021
Submitted:
December 26, 2021
Observer:
TAC - Andy Bond
Zone or Region:
Taos Area
Location:
No Name Trees

Signs of Unstable Snow

Recent Avalanches? 
Yes
Cracking? 
Widespread
Collapsing? 
Widespread
Widespread collapsing and cracking on northerly and east aspects. New snow from Christmas eve created dense heavy slabs with very little ski penetration. It would sometimes take jumping on a slope or having multiple people to get the slope to collapse and crack.

Snow Stability

Stability Rating: 
Poor
Confidence in Rating: 
High
Stability Trend: 
Worsening

Advanced Information

Weather Summary

Cloud Cover:
Mostly Cloudy
Temperature:
18 - 25
Wind:
Moderate , SW

SW winds were blowing in the 20's easily transporting new snow (Our tracks from earlier were filled back in near treeline). S -1 snowfall rate in the morning with mostly cloudy skies, and occasional short bits of clearing.

12 to 20 inches of heavy dense snow from the Christmas eve storm with only 10 cm of ski penetration.

Avalanche Observations

 #  Date Location Size Type Bed Sfc Depth Trigger Comments Photo
1 Past 24 hours No Name Trees
NE 11,200 		D1 SS G-Ground N-Natural Approaching this slope, we got a loud audible collapse with shooting cracks upwards of 100'. Observed the natural crown above which most likely failed on the basal facets near the ground and probably ran sometime Friday evening
Shooting cracks in the foreground with a crown in the background from a natural avalanche sometime Friday night. NE aspect at 11,200'

Visibility was difficult throughout the day, but did observe some crowns on the backside of Kachina Peak on a NE aspect above treeline. There was a natural avalanche in the Kandahar path above the Kandahar Condos below treeline. This avalanche ran on basal facets naturally sometime Friday evening.

Snowpack Observations

Dense snow from the Christmas Eve storm made for easy travel with only a little bit of ski penetration. Stability tests produced easy results with full propagation failing on the basal facets near the ground.

Avalanche Problems

Problem Location Distribution Sensitivity Size Comments
Persistent Slab
Isolated
Specific
Widespread
Unreactive
Stubborn
Reactive
Touchy
D1
D1.5
D2
D2.5
D3
D3.5
D4
D4.5
D5
 Natural and human triggered avalanches on northerly and east aspect at all elevations. Stiff slabs from the Christmas Eve storm 50 to 60 cm thick rest on top of 20 to 30 cm of basal facets.

Terrain Use

Stuck to low angle terrain and inspected northerly aspects near treeline.

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