Public Field Report
Observation Details
Observation Date:
December 14, 2022Submitted:
December 15, 2022Zone or Region:
Soldier and Wood River Valley MtnsActivity:
Skiing/SnowboardingLocation:
CarbonateObserved Avalanches
Did you observe any avalanches?
YesAvalanche Type:
Soft SlabSize:
Size 2: Could bury, injure, or kill a personElevation:
5600 - 5800 ft.Aspect:
SEComments:
We observed several avalanches that naturally released during the storm over the weekend, as the bed surface appeared to have fresh snow on it, though the crown and slide paths were still visible. We saw 4 to 5 of these that had occurred on the S-SE facing slopes to the north of Carbonate out Vorberg Gulch. These are not visible from Croy Creek road.Signs of Unstable Snow
Did you see shooting cracks?
NoDid you experience collapsing or whumpfing?
Yes, IsolatedObservations
We skied the NW facing bowl of Carbonate on a sub-ridge that was between 25-27 degrees. The snow was fairly wind-effected, but not so much to make the skiing terrible. There were small wind slabs along the entire ridge. We transitioned before we got to the bottom of the drainage, and while skinning back up a slope that was between 20-25 degrees, we heard multiple collapses and whumpfs so loud that at first we thought we were hearing bombs from Baldy somehow (I know this makes no sense, but that's how loud yet distant they were). At one point, we felt the snow collapse underneath us and the whumpf loud enough to startle us. We did not see any cracks, however. As we skinned, we kept hearing isolated collapsing behind us. Once we gained the ridge a bit more and the angle was even lower, the collapsing subsided. It was spooky to say the least.
We skied down the south-facing bowl back to our cars and that was a totally different experience. Light, fluffy snow, not wind effected and no signs of instability. Somehow we still hit a few rocks. This skiing was great!