Public Field Report

Observation Date:

December 12, 2020

Submitted:

December 13, 2020

Zone or Region:

Galena Summit and Eastern Mtns

Activity:

Skiing/Snowboarding

Location:

Titus lake chutes

Did you trigger any avalanches?

Yes

Was it intentional?

Avalanche Type:

Dry Loose (Sluff)

Size:

Size 1: Relatively harmless to people

Elevation:

9600'

Aspect:

Comments:

Significant sloughing in faceted surface snow. If moving through consistently steep, shaded, protected terrain, these sloughs could potentially entrain enough snow to knock you off your feet or drag you into natural obstacles below.

None reported

Late afternoon walk to Titus lake chutes. Descended rib skiers left of main gut. Old tracks were firm but unskied snow was faceted and losing structure. I was able to trigger smaller loose dry sloughs that were gouging ~10cm into the surface as they moved. This was only an issue in the steepest sections of the chute. If you decided to travel in steep protected terrain with a longer consistent fall line, I think these sloughs could entrain enough snow to be worrisome.

This loose snow avalanche was triggered by a skier near Galena Summit on Saturday. It occurred in steep terrain when the weak, cohesionless snow that formed during the recent drought was pushed downhill, entraining more snow as it went. Similar avalanches continue to be possible in steep terrain.