Pro Field Report
Basic Information
Observation Details
Observation Date:
March 1, 2021Submitted:
March 2, 2021Observer:
SAC - VandenBosZone or Region:
Galena Summit and Eastern MtnsLocation:
Headwaters to Smoky crest (7,400-10,300', primarily SE-S-SW-W-NW)Signs of Unstable Snow
Recent Avalanches?
YesCracking?
IsolatedCollapsing?
None ExperiencedBottom Line
I found a thin, weak snowpack in upper elevation terrain that is exposed to the sun and wind. I spent a lot of time looking for avalanches and only spotted one recent natural slab avalanche (D1.5).
Media/Attachments
Advanced Information
Weather Summary
Cloud Cover:
ClearWind:
Moderate , SWNew/Recent Snowfall:
20cm settled storm snow at lower elevations, 10-15cm at upperSW winds blowing upper end of light to upper end of moderate with occasional strong gusts.
Avalanche Observations
I spent a lot of time looking for avalanches and only spotted one recent natural slab avalanche (D1.5), which failed in steep, rocky terrain at 9,500' on a NE aspect at the head of Blind Canyon.
Snowpack Observations
Primary goal was to look for recent activity and to check in with weak layers associated with crusts on solar aspects. I spent a lot of time looking for avalanches with good light and was only able to identify one recent slab avalanche (steep rocky, wind loaded terrain at 9,500 on NE aspect at the head of Blind Canyon).
This area sits near the border of the Galena and Eastern Mtns and Sawtooth and Western Smoky Mtns Zones. As I climbed out of the Headwaters and towards the Smoky crest the depth of the snowpack decreased significantly. Where I dug at 8,700 on a S/SE aspect the snowpack was 100-110 cm deep and contained several crust+facet combos in the upper half of the snowpack.
ECTs returned:
-ECTNs in the single digits on the new/old interface (down 10-15cm). Something to watch as the slab gets deeper with additional loading
-ECTPs in upper teens on MFcr+FC combo down 40-50cm
-ECTPs in mid to upper 20s on DH (12/11) down 80-90cm
It seemed like the entire southern half of the compass did some surficial melting today
Avalanche Problems
| Problem | Location | Distribution | Sensitivity | Size | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Persistent Slab
|
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Layer Depth/Date: down 40-50cm Comments: Rose shaded based on where problem was directly encountered. |
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Wind Slab
|
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Comments: Rose shaded for where problem is suspected. Walked over and kicked at a lot of wind slabs, which were unreactive. The one recent, natural slide I saw appeared to be a wind slab that had failed in steep rocky terrain, exactly where this problem is the most likely and most consequential. |