Red Lake Bowl / Black Mtn

AVALANCHE OBSERVATION Red Lake Bowl / Black Mtn Drainage: Virginia Creek
Submission Info D Lewis Forecaster Friday, January 19, 2018 - 6:45pm

Red Flags:

Recent avalanche activity

Recent loading by new snow, wind, or rain

Obvious avalanche path

Avalanche Type:

Dry

Loose/Point-Release

Slope:

40degrees

Trigger type:

Natural

Aspect:

North

Weak Layer:

Storm Snow

Terrain:

Above Treeline

Elevation:

11 000ft.

Bed Surface:

Storm Snow

Number of similar avalanches:

Number of partial burials:

Number of full burials:

More detailed information about the avalanche:

At the trailhead, noted a few small sloughs originating from very steep and rocky terrain on N to NE aspects on Mt. Owen and the headwall above Red Lake, primarily along ridgelines (11,000+), likely early during snow onset, running short distances. Debris was covered with an additional ~10cm/ 4 inches of new snow. Numerous test slopes on NW – N – E aspects, elevation ranging from 11200’ to 9800’ produced minimal results with only small soughs where the snow is disturbed.

Blowing Snow:

Cloud Cover:

25% of the sky covered by clouds

Air temperature:

Below Freezing

Wind Speed:

Light

Precipitation:

None

Air temperature trend:

Cooling

Wind Direction:

West

Accumulation rate:

None

More detailed information about the weather:

A surprisingly uniform 10 to 20 cm / 4 to 8 inches of low-density (~5%*) new snow throughout most of the basin. Snow appears to have fallen primarily post-frontal passage with minimal wind effect or slab tendencies from treeline and below. Wind ranged from calm to light westerly. No current blowing snow and little evidence of recent transported snow, snow surface was mostly uniform (+). Some previous crossloading noted on N thru NE aspects in the Alpine from light westerly winds.

Number of People Caught:

Red Lake Bowl / Black Mtn 37° 54' 37.0512" N, 118° 22' 35.7132" W

See map: Google Maps