Pro Field Report

Basic Information

Observation Details

Observation Date:
March 28, 2023
Submitted:
March 28, 2023
Observer:
SAC - Everett, Manuel
Zone or Region:
Galena Summit and Eastern Mtns
Location:
Butterfield (6700-9700)

Signs of Unstable Snow

Recent Avalanches? 
None Observed
Cracking? 
None Experienced
Collapsing? 
None Experienced
No obvious signs of instability in our travels. We had some localized cracking under our feet in the new snow. Cracks didn't travel far but was failing on faceted snow 15-20cm down on shady slopes. Could become an issue with more loading.

Bottom Line

Primary goal was to monitor developing upper snowpack weak layers. At Low/Mid elevations there was about 15cm of new snow, and 20cm at Upper elevations. On S facing terrain the interface under the new snow is a supportable crust. E facing terrain has a breakable crust, and the new snow on N facing terrain is sitting on facets. With the lack of a slab there is not much of a stability concern in the upper snowpack just yet.

Felt some old windslabs under the new snow. There was no evidence of fresh windslabs in the terrain we moved through.

We dug on a E at 8700'. HS was 235, mid-Feb weak layer was down 115cm. We got an ECTN down 15cm on a melt freeze crust. Nothing else notable happened in our test.

Advanced Information