Pro Field Report

Basic Information

Observation Details

Observation Date:
February 22, 2023
Submitted:
February 23, 2023
Observer:
SAC - VandenBos (off duty)
Zone or Region:
Galena Summit and Eastern Mtns
Location:
Galena Peak (7,300-10,500')

Signs of Unstable Snow

Recent Avalanches? 
None Observed
Cracking? 
Isolated
Collapsing? 
None Experienced
No recent avalanches observed. Fresh drifts and slabs along ridgeline produced some minor, localized cracking, but it took some force to cause these.

Snow Stability

Stability Rating: 
Good
Confidence in Rating: 
Moderate
Stability Trend: 
Steady

Advanced Information

Weather Summary

Cloud Cover:
Mostly Cloudy
Wind:
Light , W
New/Recent Snowfall:
HST of 4-6cm at Galena Lodge, more like 8+cm up high, but tough to tell due to amount of wind transport.

Cold, energetic, springtime weather continues. Afternoon wx obs: short periods of intense, graupel-rich snowfall at rates up to around S3. Accumulation was light, maybe just 1-2cm through the day. Westerly winds blew at variable speeds through the afternoon, with short periods of moderate wind and largely calm to light wind otherwise.

Avalanche Observations

I could see a good bit of local terrain at times and did not observe any recent avalanches.

Snowpack Observations

There was not a ton of snow transport going on this afternoon, but it was clear that there had been a good bit of wind earlier in the storm. Most of the easy-pickins in exposed middle and upper elevation terrain had already been transported. I encountered some drifts and small slabs along the ridgeline, these were small, isolated, and stubborn to unreactive.

Terrain Use

My terrain selection in this zone continues to be driven primarily by the presence of hard slabs resting on old facets.