Professional Observation
Basic Information
Observation Details
Observation Date:
December 30, 2019Submitted:
December 31, 2019Observer:
SAC - VandenBosZone or Region:
Galena Summit and Eastern MtnsLocation:
Pole Creek to 10,000'Signs of Unstable Snow
Recent Avalanches?
None ObservedCracking?
IsolatedCollapsing?
Isolated
Isolated cracking and collapsing at lower elevations in flat terrain where 12/7 SH was present and pre-12/7 snow coverage was thick enough to fill in gaps between sagebrush and rocks.
Snow Stability
Stability Rating:
FairConfidence in Rating:
Stability Trend:
Advanced Information
Weather Summary
Cloud Cover:
ClearTemperature:
mid 20s at highway, low teens (est) at upper elevationsWind:
Light , NBeautiful clear day. Calm to light north winds at ridge tops. Sun broke down previous days crust, upper 2cms became moist.
Avalanche Observations
Evidence of loose snow avalanches (solar initiated dry loose) from past week. No distinct slabs observed.
Snowpack Observations
HS=40-70cm, strongly affected by wind, elevation and aspect. Difficult to find a representative slope for digging, thanks to amount of sage brush and rock near the surface. 12/7 widely distributed, overlying slab still thin enough here that I'd expect it to re-activate with additional loading.
Avalanche Problems
| Problem | Location | Distribution | Sensitivity | Size | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Persistent Slab
|
|
Layer Depth/Date: 12/7 In a state of dormancy, thanks to faceting of overlying slab |
|||
Wind Slab
|
|
Wind slabs I encountered were restricted to ridgelines and unreactive, mostly a concern based on additional stress on weak snow underneath |