Professional Observation
Basic Information
Observation Details
Observation Date:
December 15, 2019Submitted:
December 15, 2019Observer:
SAC - Martin StefanZone or Region:
Galena Summit and Eastern MtnsLocation:
S side of Prairie Creek up to p.8827Signs of Unstable Snow
Recent Avalanches?
None ObservedCracking?
IsolatedCollapsing?
Isolated
A few shooting cracks and one collapse at 8000ft flat ridge, probably on SH
Snow Stability
Stability Rating:
PoorConfidence in Rating:
HighStability Trend:
SteadyBottom Line
There is plenty of buried surface hoar on north facing terrain as soon as the snow is not protected by a dense forest canopy. Meadow skipping can lead to very nasty surprises right now.
Advanced Information
Weather Summary
Cloud Cover:
Mostly CloudyTemperature:
12Wind:
Light , NWVery light wind transport observed, snow along ridge lines is starting to be wind hammered.
Avalanche Observations
| # | Date | Location | Size | Type | Bed Sfc | Depth | Trigger | Comments | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Within the past week |
Meadows south of Prairie Creek N 8000 |
D1 | SS | O-Old Snow | 30-50cm | N-Natural | I could not get a close look but would assume they went on SH 12/7 |
|
Snowpack Observations
I traveled mostly under a dense canopy, and as soon as I had a clear view of the sky there was buried SH, and at higher elevations also an FC-MFcr-DH sandwich at the bottom of the snowpack, both of these were reactive to ect and pst.
Avalanche Problems
| Problem | Location | Distribution | Sensitivity | Size | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Persistent Slab
|
|
Layer Depth/Date: 12/7, 11/26 |
Terrain Use
I avoided avalanche terrain
Close