Pro Field Report
Basic Information
Observation Details
Observation Date:
January 14, 2020Submitted:
January 14, 2020Observer:
SAC - SavageZone or Region:
Soldier and Wood River Valley MtnsLocation:
Wells Summit - Wardrop Ck, Basalt Ck: 5450-7200', many aspectsSigns of Unstable Snow
Recent Avalanches?
YesCracking?
IsolatedCollapsing?
None ExperiencedSnow Stability
Stability Rating:
FairConfidence in Rating:
ModerateStability Trend:
Bottom Line
Quick trip in middle and lower elevation terrain. Lower elevations: slopes without recent wind-loading are notably more stable than wind-loaded slopes - stay off the wind drifts and your chances of triggering slides go way down. Middle elevations: more snow + more wind + more persistent weak layers (facets and/or crusts in the lower and middle of the snowpack) + more recent avalanche activity = sketchy conditions.
Advanced Information
Weather Summary
Cloud Cover:
ObscuredTemperature:
15-22FWind:
Light , WThere was about 18" of snow on the Wells Summit road (since Sunday afternoon). There was about 2 feet of settled storm snow around 6500-7000' in sheltered terrain. Skies ranged from partly cloudy (driving from Hailey to Fairfield early afternoon) to overcast (trailhead) to obscured and snowing while out from 3-5 PM. Snow started light, was S3 (1 inch/hr) while I was out and for much of the drive back to Hailey. Winds were moving snow on the peaks west of Hailey/Bellevue on the way over and in the valleys over to Fairfield. Winds were light around Wells Summit.
Avalanche Observations
| # | Date | Location | Size | Type | Bed Sfc | Depth | Trigger | Comments | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Wells Summit area - Wardrop Ck N 7400' |
D2 | U | U-Unknown | The slide was blown in a bit, guessing it occurred during the heavy snowfall and wind event Sunday night/early Monday morning but could have been human triggered on Monday? The crown looked like a persistent slab failing in a wind-loaded area. |
|
Snowpack Observations
Total depth = 70-110cm below 6500 ft, 100-140cm at 6500-7200 ft. About 2 feet settled storm snow, no clue how much in the past 12-24 hours. There were sporadic 3-4 ft drifts on and near the road above about 6500 ft. The extent of wind-loading was similar or less than in Croy Canyon near Rotarun (see Observation from yesterday).
W/SW ~7050 ft: HS=125cm. Mix of F/4F PP with some 1F wind particles in the newer/storm snow. 12/31 layer was 2 crusts with FC above and below from 55-58cm (about 2 feet down). Mixed forms (not terrible looking) from 30-60cm with thin FC layer (12/7?) at 38cm. FC from 30cm to G with some larger DH grains at the bottom, but moist. Notable results = ECTP16, SP/Q1, @58cm on very thin layer of FC above the upper crust and PST31/100end, SP/Q1 same layer. A couple ECTN easy, dirty shears, on mid-storm layers/interfaces in the newer snow and a hard, dirty ECTN in the DH about 25cm above the ground.
Avalanche Problems
| Problem | Location | Distribution | Sensitivity | Size | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wind Slab
|
|
Unknown |
Layer Depth/Date: 30-120cm (1-4') Comments: Unknown sensitivity, but leaning towards reactive or stubborn. Terrain in this area leads to swirling winds and loading on many aspects. |
||
Persistent Slab
|
|
Unknown |
Layer Depth/Date: 30-80cm (1-2.5') Comments: Probably more of a problem where recently wind-loaded, but the crust+facet complex on some sunny aspects would have me nervous even in sheltered terrain. |
Terrain Use
I stayed out of avalanche terrain. I was on a solo mission.