01/03/09: Heather Ridge Fail (video)

Chris and I went for what was planned as a short tour at Stevens Pass.  Checking out Yodelin Parking lot first we found a 1" ice crust so we headed back to the pass.  There we found the snow level from yesterdays snows to be at about 4300 feet.  So we went up to the radio tower at the top of Heather Ridge and started touring out Heather Ridge.  100-200 meters out the skin track ended at a hasty snow pit someone had dug yesterday.  So we dug two.  Did a shovel test and a Rutschblock test.  In both cases we didn't even get to 'test' part of the tests.  In isolating a block for a shovel test the column failed at about 10 inches.  The Rutschblock similarly failed at 10 inches upon cutting the back of the block.  Test was on a 30 degree non wind affected slope.  Failures took place on a rain crust, probably caused by freezing rain.  Upon stepping on the Rutschblock the column also immediately failed at 30 inches on an old sun or rain crust.  Below 30 inches the snowpack was very consolidated. 

To date I've never gotten scarier snowpit tests at Stevens Pass. 

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ui0B97Hv5F4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_COrA7jjkTA