Sawtooth Avalanche Center

Pro Field Report

Basic Information

Observation Details

Observation Date:
March 13, 2021
Submitted:
March 13, 2021
Observer:
SAC - Chris & Sara Lundy
Zone or Region:
Galena Summit and Eastern Mtns
Location:
Mushroom Ridge (7700-9400', E-SE-S-SW)

Signs of Unstable Snow

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

Snow Stability

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

Bottom Line

Warm, sunny day but felt like wet snow problems would have been fairly isolated. Despite (seemingly) good melt-freeze cycles, conditions on solar aspects have yet to fully transition to corn.

Advanced Information

Weather Summary

Cloud Cover:
Clear
Wind:
Light , N

Warm, sunny day but cool breeze kept things from getting too hot.

Snowpack Observations

Snowpack obs are from 1200-1430. All sun-exposed aspects we encountered were transitional and surfaces had not yet become fully corn-like. Conditions remained fairly ski supportable (i.e. not punching through into mush below) but were still marginal skiing. Felt like you would have to go looking for a wet snow problem - like pushing on a steep, rocky, solar slope late in the afternoon.

@9300', SW, ~25*, 13:45 (see photo): HS averaged 125cm. Surface was wet but still ski supportable. Evidence of water percolation in the top 30-40cm of the snowpack. Entire snowpack was moist but low water content except for surface layer. Depth to 1/27 was 60cm, to 12/11 was 100cm. ECTX even with hard loading. Prying the column off failed at 12/11 - no other shears occurred. 12/11 was moist and becoming discontinuous - some portions of the layer are still quite weak, while other "clumps" had bonded together.

Snowpit on Mushroom Ridge. 9300', SW

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: ~10-15cm
Comments: Rose colored according to expected location