Sawtooth Avalanche Center

Pro Field Report

Basic Information

Observation Details

Observation Date:
December 6, 2021
Submitted:
December 6, 2021
Observer:
SAC - VandenBos
Zone or Region:
Galena Summit and Eastern Mtns
Location:
Butterfield (6,800-9,600', primarily E-NE-N)

Signs of Unstable Snow

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

Snow Stability

Stability Rating: 
Very Good
Confidence in Rating: 
Moderate
Stability Trend: 
Steady

Bottom Line

The extended drought is having its way with the snowpack and it is going to get worse before it gets better. A few days of much colder temperatures later this week will likely accelerate the rate of faceting, particularly in upper layers in the snowpack and adjacent to the widespread crusts.

Advanced Information

Weather Summary

Cloud Cover:
Obscured
Wind:
Moderate , NW
New/Recent Snowfall:
trace

S-1 precip for a few hours late morning/early afternoon, no real accumulation. Skies began clearing late in the afternoon.

Snowpack Observations

The middle and upper elevation shady snow survey continues! Today I found a weak and uninspiring snowpack. The snowpack on sheltered, shaded aspects of Butterfield is 40-60cm deep and contains several prominent crusts. Between these crusts the snow is faceting significantly, particularly in the upper 10cm of the pack, where the snow between crusts is F to F-. This stack of facets sits on a 1F+ crust, an ugly combination. A second, 10cm thick stack of facets sits underneath this crusts, and is slightly less concerning, but not much.

The extended drought is having its way with the snowpack and it is going to get worse before it gets better. A few days of much colder temperatures later this week will likely accelerate the rate of faceting, particularly in upper layers in the snowpack and adjacent to the widespread crusts. There's a whisper of some big moisture in the longer term forecast, but I'll believe it when I ski it...