Professional Observation
Basic Information
Observation Details
Observation Date:
February 8, 2020Submitted:
February 8, 2020Observer:
SAC - Savage (OFF DUTY - recreational trip)Zone or Region:
Sawtooth and Western Smoky MtnsLocation:
Frenchman/Smiley Ck area: 7200-9500', mostly W-NW-N-NESigns of Unstable Snow
Recent Avalanches?
None ObservedCracking?
IsolatedCollapsing?
None ExperiencedSnow Stability
Stability Rating:
GoodConfidence in Rating:
HighStability Trend:
Bottom Line
We did not see any sizable avalanches, and we had enough visibility to see a decent amount of terrain when we were at upper elevations. The wind had loaded some slopes immediately below ridgelines (and built cornices) above about 9200'. The wind affects were confined to the ridgelines where we traveled. Snowmobilers were getting into some steeper terrain in the Frenchman Ck drainage without triggering anything.
Advanced Information
Weather Summary
Cloud Cover:
Mostly CloudyTemperature:
teens FWind:
Light , WMixed bag of partly cloudy to socked in and snowing today. Very little accumulation of new snow today. Winds were generally light, gusting moderate, on ridgetops from 2-3:30 PM. We found about 8" (20cm) of storm snow at lower elevations and about 12" (30cm) above 8500'.
Snowpack Observations
Lower elevations: razor crust on the surface in the flats and on solars, unsure whether if formed today with the sun out in the AM and early afternoon or yesterday due to warmer temperatures? Some dirty shears on storm snow instabilities and above+below the Feb 2-3 storm/wind event.
Middle elevations: no crusts observed in the upper pack, but we weren't on solars very much. Same dirty shears in storm and recent snow.
Upper elevations: relatively thin wind slabs below cornices in exposed N-NE-E-SE facing terrain, no naturals observed. Same dirty shears in storm and recent snow.
HS=120-170cm middle and upper elevations. No formal snowpack tests performed, strictly hand pit tests in upper 50cm.
Avalanche Problems
| Problem | Location | Distribution | Sensitivity | Size | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wind Slab
|
|
Layer Depth/Date: 20-40cm, past 72 hrs Specific to at and immediately below ridglines on certain aspects at upper elevations. Sensitivity is a bit of an educated guess as we spent very little time playing with the wind slabs and cornices. |
Terrain Use
Family sled and ski outing, so we were very rarely in avalanche terrain. We skied small sheltered slopes 30-35* but otherwise were on slopes less than 30*.
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