Sawtooth Avalanche Center

Public Field Report

Observation Details

Observation Date:
January 15, 2023
Submitted:
January 15, 2023
Zone or Region:
Galena Summit and Eastern Mtns
Activity:
Snowmobiling/Snowbiking
Location:
Pole Ck

Observed Avalanches

Did you observe any avalanches? 
Yes
Avalanche Type:
Soft Slab
Size:
Size 1: Relatively harmless to people
Elevation:
9200'
Aspect:
N
Comments:
Judging on the tracks, we thought this snowmobile triggered wind slab occurred yesterday (01/14). We didn't get very close but the crown looked to be 1 - 1.5 feet thick.

Signs of Unstable Snow

None reported

Observations

Day was warm with mostly broken skies and light winds in the upper bowls north of Pole Ck. We 'kept it simple', rode great snow, and avoided avalanche terrain.

Media

This avalanche was triggered by motorized users in Pole Creek, probably on January 14th. It likely failed on a persistent weak layer buried in the first week of January. 9200', N.