Pro Field Report

Basic Information

Observation Details

Observation Date:
April 11, 2023
Submitted:
April 11, 2023
Observer:
SAC - Scott Savage
Zone or Region:
Galena Summit and Eastern Mtns
Location:
Glassing Hailey-Sawtooth overlook, including Warm Springs Ck, and roadside snowpack obs Galena Summit (many aspects and elevations visually - snowpack obs 7200-8700')

Signs of Unstable Snow

Recent Avalanches? 
Yes
Cracking? 
None Experienced
Collapsing? 
None Experienced
Cracking and collapsing are N/A.

Bottom Line

I observed much less natural activity than yesterday, but there were some fresh wet loose and wet slab avalanches. Today's activity was mostly below about 7000'. I saw one slab and a few loose snow avalanches above 7000', and they were all in very steep, rocky areas sheltered from the wind where the snowpack was less than a couple feet thick. I saw a couple D2 avalanches, and the rest were small (not big enough to bury a person unless they were in a terrain trap).

Advanced Information

Weather Summary

Cloud Cover:
Mostly Cloudy
Temperature:
40s F
Wind:
Moderate , S
New/Recent Snowfall:
No new snow.

Gusty winds today - seemed like they would have been strong on exposed ridgetops. No snow available for transport.

Avalanche Observations

 #  Date Location Size Type Bed Sfc Depth Trigger Photos Details
1 Apr 11, 2023
(+/- 1 day) 		Frenchman Ck
E 9200ft 		D2 WS-Wet Slab O-Old Snow N-Natural
Small wet slab avalanche crowns in the Frenchman Ck drainage near Smiley Creek. E-NE aspect near 9200'.
Report
Frenchman Ck
 #  Date Location Size Type Bed Sfc Depth Trigger Comments Photo
1 Hulen Meadows
W 6100 		D1.5 WL O-Old Snow N-Natural Another slide just north of the one that blocked the highway yesterday. This one released either today or yesterday after 7 PM. It is smaller than the one that buried the road. None
1 Guyer Hot Springs - Warm Springs Ck
NE 6400 		D1.5 WL O-Old Snow N-Natural 2 starting zones, appeared to release yesterday or today. None
2 Penny Lake west side of cirque
E 6800 		D1.5 WL O-Old Snow N-Natural None
1 Warm Springs Ck: just east of W Fork Warm Springs Ck
SE 6600 		D2 WL O-Old Snow N-Natural None
4 Warm Springs Ck: south slopes NE of Sandy Lane
SE 7000 		D1.5 WL N-Natural Mix of D1, 1.5, and one D2 None
10 south side of Warm Springs Ck
N 7000 		D1 WL O-Old Snow N-Natural NW-N-NE, small portions of starting zones below 7000' or so have been running "piecemeal" in recent days. None
1
None
2 Smiley Ck - Abes Armchair western flank
SE 9200 		D1 WL N-Natural Very steep, rocky starting zones with some small fresh debris piles beneath them.
Some of these small wet loose avalanches released on Tuesday 4/11. Smiley Ck near Abe Armchair, 9100' SE.

Snowpack Observations

Flat slopes at Galena Lodge 7300': snowpack was wet 20cm down, water pooling at 2 thin crusts and the facet layer at 20cm. Damp snow for 1 cm below that, then dry snow. Shoe/boot penetration was 15cm for most part, but I fell through to knee deep once.

Flat slopes around Galena Summit 8700': snowpack was wet 15cm down, water pooling on 4 different crusts or crust + "used to be facets". Water was stuck on faceted layer below an eroding thin crust. Snow was dry beneath that layer. Shoe/boot pen was 10cm while being gentle.

Avalanche Problems

Problem Location Distribution Sensitivity Size Comments
Wet Loose
Isolated
Specific
Widespread
 Unknown
D1
D1.5
D2
D2.5
D3
D3.5
D4
D4.5
D5
 Comments: Shaded area indicates where the problem existed today. Upper elevations were windy, and I didn't see any fresh activity there. Problem was specific to sheltered, very steep terrain below about 7000'.
Wet Slab
Isolated
Specific
Widespread
D1
D1.5
D2
D2.5
D3
D3.5
D4
D4.5
D5
 Comments: I don't have enough information to confidently discern a pattern for the Location graphic. I heard about some thin (12-18"), natural wet slabs on shady slopes around 6000' near Hailey. I saw one fresh one in a very steep, rocky/craggy, sheltered area around 9000'. That slide was in a very thin area where 1-3 feet of snow was plastered into the rocks and cliffs (see Avalanche Occurrence). I listed a Max Size of D2 because the monster alpine wet slabs were unlikely today.

Terrain Use

Roadside observations, not in avalanche terrain. I was looking uphill before driving underneath big paths on Warm Springs Rd around 6-7 PM - I don't trust it out there.