Sawtooth Avalanche Center

Pro Field Report

Basic Information

Observation Details

Observation Date:
December 15, 2019
Submitted:
December 15, 2019
Observer:
SAC - Martin Stefan
Zone or Region:
Galena Summit and Eastern Mtns
Location:
S side of Prairie Creek up to p.8827

Signs of Unstable Snow

Recent Avalanches? 
None Observed
Cracking? 
Isolated
Collapsing? 
Isolated
A few shooting cracks and one collapse at 8000ft flat ridge, probably on SH

Snow Stability

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

Bottom 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 Cloudy
Temperature:
12
Wind:
Light , NW

Very 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 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
D1 avalanche on 8000ft N facing slope south of Prairie Creek

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.

Profile at 7700ft in N facing meadow south of Prairie Creek
Profile at 8600ft in N facing meadow south of Prairie Creek

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
Layer Depth/Date: 12/7, 11/26

Terrain Use

I avoided avalanche terrain