Pro Field Report
Basic Information
Observation Details
Observation Date:
March 29, 2021Submitted:
March 30, 2021Observer:
SAC - VandenBosZone or Region:
Galena Summit and Eastern MtnsLocation:
Galena Peak (7,300-11,100, primarily S-SW-W-NW)Signs of Unstable Snow
Recent Avalanches?
None ObservedCracking?
None ExperiencedCollapsing?
None ExperiencedBottom Line
Winds have done a significant amount of work over the past day, primarily scouring along alpine ridges with some loading towards the lower end of upper elevations.
Advanced Information
Weather Summary
Cloud Cover:
Mostly CloudyWind:
Strong , NWNew/Recent Snowfall:
2-3cmAfternoon weather obs: winds were easing off during the afternoon, but were audible aloft for most of the tour and occasionally blasting down and coming in direct contact with terrain. Light to moderate winds with periods of strong to extreme gusts. Low clouds hung over the mountains, occasionally breaking apart and allowing for periods of direct sunshine. S-1 flurries occurred occasionally with no real accumulation. Temperatures were cold, estimated in single digits at upper elevations. Haven't had to skin with a puffy on for awhile.
Avalanche Observations
No new avalanche activity observed, but cloud cover and blowing snow prevented me from doing any good glassing beyond the terrain I was directly in.
Snowpack Observations
Wind had done widespread damage in the Boulders, digging well down through all elevations. Of the terrain I encountered, an estimated 90% was the in the scouring regime (snow being removed and transported elsewhere). It appeared that about 2-3cm of snow fell with frontal passage, but hard to tell with certainty due to amount of wind loading. Wind slabs I encountered were well down from ridgelines and were dense and up to 15cm thick. It seems like you'd have to be on a fairly steep slope to encounter problems with a slab like this.
On a related note, it looked like the extreme winds had transported and deposited quite a bit of dust. Particle size seemed on the small end, probably down in the clay-silt end of things, but I didn't have my hand lens with me. Widespread dust layers can have a significant effect on albedo, increasing the rate of snow-melt and negatively impacting corn cycles... It will be interesting to see how widespread this layer is as the new snow melts down this week.
Avalanche Problems
| Problem | Location | Distribution | Sensitivity | Size | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wind Slab
|
|
Unknown |
Comments: Wind slabs I encountered were well down from ridgelines and were dense and up to 15cm thick. It seems like you'd have to be on a fairly steep slope to encounter problems with a slab like this. |
Terrain Use
Felt comfortable traveling through all scoured terrain, avoided traveling through steep terrain with fresh, stiff wind slabs.