Pro Field Report

Basic Information

Observation Details

Observation Date:
December 19, 2022
Submitted:
December 20, 2022
Observer:
SAC - Scott Savage
Zone or Region:
Soldier and Wood River Valley Mtns
Location:
Warm Springs Ck - adjacent to ski area (W-NW 6500-7000')

Signs of Unstable Snow

Recent Avalanches? 
None Observed
Cracking? 
None Experienced
Collapsing? 
None Experienced
Collapsing and cracking are N/A. I only traveled on groomed ski runs, in heavily skied terrain adjacent to the ski area, and on a bed surface and debris.

Bottom Line

I was on a crown profile and fact-gathering mission regarding a recent sidecountry avalanche incident, so I have very limited backcountry observations. The upper 5 cm of the snowpack was ugly and weak, similar to most recent observations.

Advanced Information

Weather Summary

Cloud Cover:
Mostly Sunny
Temperature:
Teens F
Wind:
Light , W
New/Recent Snowfall:
No recent snowfall.

The wind had scoured exposed, flat terrain near 9000'. Wind estimated at light to moderate at 9000' for the brief time I was there.

Avalanche Observations

 #  Date Location Size Type Bed Sfc Depth Trigger Photos Details
1 Dec 12, 2022 11:40 am
(Exact) 		Warm Springs Ck - Baldy out-of-bounds/sidecountry
W 6640ft 		D2 SS-Soft Slab O-Old Snow 2ft AS-Skier
u-Unintentional
The skier was caught a few hundred feet above this location and was carried downslope through the forested gully for 200-300' vertical.
The avalanche released above the dead trees, carrying the skier through them. See accompanying photo of what is below this photo location.
Starting zone, showing multiple failure layers/bed surfaces and where the skier entered the area.
The injured skier self-rescued by "skooching" down the debris while sitting, covering several hundred yards in this manner.
Snowpit dug at the crown 1 week after an avalanche that injured a skier. The avalanche failed on both the 11/27 and 12/8 persistent weak layers, but it is not possible to determine which layer was the initial failure.
Formal crown profile performed 1 week after the avalanche that injured a skier. The avalanche failed on both the 11/27 and 12/8 persistent weak layers, but it is not possible to determine which layer was the initial failure.
Report
Warm Springs Ck - Baldy out-of-bounds/sidecountry

Snowpack Observations

Upper 5cm: 3-4mm SH, then 4cm F (or softer!) faceted PP/DF, then 2-3mm razor crust with thin FC interface above and below the crust.

Crown profile and snowpit photo are attached. See Avalanche Occurrence for other photos and information.

Formal crown profile performed 1 week after the avalanche that injured a skier. The avalanche failed on both the 11/27 and 12/8 persistent weak layers, but it is not possible to determine which layer was the initial failure.
Snowpit dug at the crown 1 week after an avalanche that injured a skier. The avalanche failed on both the 11/27 and 12/8 persistent weak layers, but it is not possible to determine which layer was the initial failure.

Avalanche Problems

Problem Location Distribution Sensitivity Size Comments
Persistent Slab
Layer Depth/Date: 50-75cm
Weak Layer(s): Nov 27, 2022 (FC) Dec 8, 2022 (FCsf)
Comments: Problem data and details are specific to this avalanche incident site only. Due to the slope being heavily tracked, the 2xECTX results (failed and propagated with abnormal force/kicking the shovel) were performed too close to the crown and are not meaningful results.

Terrain Use

N/A: I was traveling on groomed ski runs, in heavily skied (soft moguls) sidecountry terrain, and in a path that had released a week previous.