Sawtooth Avalanche Center

Public Field Report

Observation Details

Observation Date:
February 18, 2023
Submitted:
February 19, 2023
Zone or Region:
Mores Creek
Activity:
Skiing/Snowboarding
Location:
Winter's Corner - More's Creek Summit area

Signs of Unstable Snow

None reported

Observations

Partly cloudy all day. Temperatures in the upper 20s. Light winds. Started snowing around 12:30pm until about 6:30pm, after which it snowed lightly on and off all night.

We were looking for signs of wind loading all day based on the reported winds at Pilot's Peak over the previous few days. Observed wind texturing/wind crusts on W/NW/N aspects but observed no signs of instability. Stomped a cornice and managed to get a ~6" slab to slide on a NNW aspect ~6500'. It didn't propagate to the sides beyond my skis and it didn't propagate to any snow below.

There was also a ~3" Fist hard slab with probably facets underneath that was creating an overhanging lip on our ski tracks.

We stayed below ~32 degrees and would have been comfortable venturing into steeper terrain if we had wanted to.

Media

Got this cornice to slide a 6" slab on a NNW aspect, ~6500'. It didn't propagate to the sides beyond my skis and didn't propagate to any snow below.
A ~3" Fist hard slab with probably facets underneath that was creating an overhanging lip on our ski tracks. ~6250 feet NW aspect.