Pro Field Report

Basic Information

Observation Details

Observation Date:
January 1, 2022
Submitted:
January 2, 2022
Observer:
SAC - VandenBos, Peterson, Peterson
Zone or Region:
Galena Summit and Eastern Mtns
Location:
Goat/Konrad (6,400-8,000', primarily W-SW-S-SE-E)

Signs of Unstable Snow

Recent Avalanches? 
None Observed
Cracking? 
Isolated
Collapsing? 
None Experienced
Very isolated cracking in thin, freshly deposited wind drifts.

Snow Stability

Stability Rating: 
Good
Confidence in Rating: 
Low
Stability Trend: 
Improving

Media/Attachments

Wind transport on Boulder Peak on New Year's morning.
Very large natural avalanche in Prairie Creek.
Very large natural avalanche in Prairie Creek.
Very large natural avalanche in Prairie Creek.
Wind transport in the Smoky Mountains on New Year's morning.
Fresh natural wind slab on Saviers Peak in the Smoky Mountains observed New Year's morning.
Recent slab avalanche near the head of the Alturas Lake Creek drainage, observed New Year's morning.
Recent large avalanche on Eureka Peak that appeared to fail on persistent grains in the upper portion of the snowpack, likely a crust with facets based on the aspect.

Advanced Information

Weather Summary

Cloud Cover:
Clear
Wind:
Light , NW

Clear and cold all day, with a weak temperature inversion throughout. The day started at -20 according to vehicle thermometer. Winds were observed transporting snow at upper and middle elevations in the morning, but decreased by the afternoon.

Avalanche Observations

 #  Date Location Size Type Bed Sfc Depth Trigger Photos Details
1 Dec 31, 2021
(+/- 3 days) 		Eureka Peak
SE 9600ft 		D2.5 SS-Soft Slab N-Natural
Recent large avalanche on Eureka Peak that appeared to fail on persistent grains in the upper portion of the snowpack, likely a crust with facets based on the aspect.
Report
Eureka Peak

I observed the reported avalanches while glassing in the morning before our tour.

Snowpack Observations

We were continuing the hunt for weak layers in the upper snowpack, and came up empty. Despite my previous obs and recently reported findings of buried SH and FCsf +/- crusts in nearby terrain, we did not find either. These layers are out there, but their distribution appears to be a bit spotty. With that said, I'd imagine that these layers will be reactive once loaded, where they exist. As my dad says, "Elk are where you find them." Dug on SW at 7,000' (HS=90cm), SE at 7,500' (HE=90cm), and WNW at 7,800' (110cm). I also did not see much evidence of the fainter weak layer I've been seeing down 10-15cm.

Snow surface had faceted significantly in the past 24 hours. Steeper solars (>32, S-SW) were taking a crust by the end of the day. I suspect this was a radiation recrystallization crust but I didn't observe this directly. Either way, I expect this crust+facet combo will be the next player in the weak layer game (probably end up being 1/3 ).

We found thin wind slabs in exposed terrain in middle elevations, These slabs were thin (less than 10cm, stubborn and isolated.

Avalanche Problems

We did not directly encounter any avalanche problems in our tour today, but were looking out for persistent weak layers in the middle of the snowpack (near interface between our two major storms).

Terrain Use

Our tour did not take us into much avalanche terrain, but we would have been comfortable selectively entering a fair amount of avalanche terrain that held snowpack like we observed today. However, the irregular distribution would have given us pause, and confidence that upper snowpack weak layers did not exist would have been hard to come by.