Pro Field Report

Basic Information

Observation Details

Observation Date:
March 15, 2020
Submitted:
March 15, 2020
Observer:
SAC - Savage: OFF DUTY - RECREATIONAL
Zone or Region:
Soldier and Wood River Valley Mtns
Location:
Croy Canyon: most aspects to 6800'

Signs of Unstable Snow

Recent Avalanches? 
None Observed
Cracking? 
None Experienced
Collapsing? 
None Experienced

Snow Stability

Stability Rating: 
Very Good
Confidence in Rating: 
High
Stability Trend: 

Bottom Line

We were out from 1-4 PM. Warm temps and sun were cooking the snowpack on all aspects below about 7000'. There may have been some wind drifts right at exposed ridgelines (I felt either crusts or stiffer drifted snow from Saturday), but they were softening and melting in the sun+warm temps and behaved like warm, moist/wet snow. The sun had melted all the new snow off SE-S-SW-W aspects by 4 PM Sunday. On slopes that still had snow, the new snow from the past 36 hrs was damp/moist/wet.

Advanced Information

Weather Summary

Cloud Cover:
Mostly Sunny
Temperature:
30s F
Wind:
Calm

About 3" (8cm) Saturday morning and again Sat night-Sunday morning: total of 5-6" (12-15cm). The lack of afternoon cloud cover and light winds made it feel quite hot this afternoon. There was a little wind effect on the surface above about 6500', but we didn't see any obvious signs of fresh drifting in Croy Canyon. Little to no snow is currently available for transport.

Snowpack Observations

Some rollerballs on N, NE slopes near 6000'. Surfaces were a variety of dirt and damp>moist>wet snow. Corn was already reforming on some NW-N-NE-E old wind-hardened surfaces.

Avalanche Problems

Problem Location Distribution Sensitivity Size Comments
Wet Loose
Isolated
Specific
Widespread
Unreactive
Stubborn
Reactive
Touchy
D1
D1.5
D2
D2.5
D3
D3.5
D4
D4.5
D5
 Layer Depth/Date: 3/14
Comments: Specific to slopes near or above 40* in steepness (I wasn't around any of that terrain). Educated guess on sensitivity.

Terrain Use

We didn't avoid any terrain due to avalanche concerns. W-NW-N-NE-E aspects approaching or over 40* would have needed evaluation/mitigation for wet loose issues before skiing them. I would not have spent more time than needed below large, very steep paths that directly faced the sun.