Pro Field Report

Basic Information

Observation Details

Observation Date:
March 11, 2023
Submitted:
March 11, 2023
Observer:
SAC - Jon Preuss
Zone or Region:
Other
Location:
Baldy and Driving Obs from Hailey to Smiley Creek

Signs of Unstable Snow

Recent Avalanches? 
Yes
Cracking? 
None Experienced
Collapsing? 
None Experienced
Most of observations were taken from the truck, skied heavily tracked runs at Baldy towards closing time.

Bottom Line

I observed an impressive widespread avalanche cycle through the Wood River Valley & Galena Summit & Eastern mountains. The majority of the avalanches were on north facing slopes, but some of the larger D3 slides occurred on south facing slopes high in the Boulder Mountains. See form for a working list of avalanches. All of these avalanches were entered in the avalanche database.

Advanced Information

File Attachment

 JPs-Obs-230311-1.pdf

Avalanche Observations

 #  Date Location Size Type Bed Sfc Depth Trigger Photos Details
16 Mar 10, 2023
(+/- 1 day) 		Patterson Peak
NW 7600ft 		D2 N-Natural
(3/11/23) Over 20 crowns can be seen in this photo. Some released early in the storm and some near the tail end. Most were north facing slopes, near the ridgelines.
(3/11/23) A closer view of the large avalanches on the right side of Patterson Peak.
Report
2 Mar 10, 2023
(+/- 1 day) 		Boulder Peak
E 10400ft 		D3 N-Natural
(3/11/23) Very large avalanches on E-SE slopes around 10,300' on Boulder Peak.
Report
2 Mar 10, 2023
(+/- 1 day) 		Silver Creek
E 10600ft 		D2.5 N-Natural
(3/11/23) A very large avalanche on a SE facing slope around 10,600' near Silver Lake.
Report
3 Mar 10, 2023
(+/- 1 day) 		Saviers Peak
E 9800ft 		D2.5 N-Natural
(3/11/23) Three large avalanches on E and SE slopes around 9800' in the Owl Creek drainage.
Report
1 Mar 10, 2023
(+/- 1 day) 		Gladiator Creek
W 10000ft 		D3 N-Natural
(3/11/23) A very large avalanche occurred on a west facing slope around 10,000' in Gladiator Creek.
Report
2 Mar 10, 2023
(+/- 1 day) 		Galena Peak
W 10200ft 		D2.5 N-Natural
(3/11/23) Two avalanches released on a W-NW slope at around 10,200' on Galena Peak.
Report
1 Mar 10, 2023
(+/- 1 day) 		Gladiator Peak
S 9402ft 		D2.5 SS-Soft Slab N-Natural
(3/11/23) An avalanche occurred on a south facing slope around 9400' off Gladiator Peak.
Report
2 Mar 10, 2023
(+/- 1 day) 		Prairie Creek
E 9700ft 		D2 N-Natural
(3/11/23) Two large persistent slab avalanches on easterly aspects at 9700'.
Report
2 Mar 10, 2023
(+/- 1 day) 		West Fork Prairie Creek
E 9800ft 		D2.5 N-Natural
(3/11/23) Two large avalanches reached in this east facing bowl at around 9800'.
Report
1 Mar 10, 2023
(+/- 1 day) 		Easley Peak
S 10100ft 		D2.5 N-Natural
(3/11/23) A very large avalanche occurred on a south facing slope around 10,100' on Easley Peak.
Report
1 Mar 10, 2023
(+/- 1 day) 		Fox Creek
NE 7700ft 		D2.5 SS-Soft Slab N-Natural
(3/11/23) A large avalanche failed on a NE slope at 7700'.
Report
1 Mar 10, 2023
(+/- 1 day) 		Kent Peak
S 10800ft 		D3 N-Natural
(3/11/23) A very large avalanche failed on the south face of Kent Peak.
Report
1 Mar 10, 2023
(+/- 1 day) 		Eagle Creek
S 9900ft 		D3.5 N-Natural
(3/11/23) A very large avalanche occurred on a south-facing slope at 9900'. This persistent slab likely failed on a layer of facets on top of a melt-freeze crust and wrapped multiple terrain features.
Report
1 Mar 10, 2023
(Exact) 		Morgan Ridge
NW 7199ft 		D2.5 SS-Soft Slab N-Natural
(3/11/23) A large avalanche released naturally on a NW slope at 7200'.
(3/11/23) A large pile of debris above a nordic trail out Trail Creek.
Report
2 Mar 10, 2023
(+/- 1 day) 		Lake Creek
S 9800ft 		D3.5 N-Natural
(3/11/23) A very large avalanche occurred on a south-facing slope around 9800' in the headwaters of Lake Creek.
Report
6 Mar 10, 2023
(Exact) 		Parker Gulch
W 8500ft 		D2 N-Natural
(3/11/23) Many large avalanches on west facing slopes at 8500'.
Report
12 Mar 10, 2023
(Exact) 		Keystone Gulch
NW 8200ft 		D2.5 SS-Soft Slab N-Natural
(3/11/23) Multiple large avalanches on W-N-NW slopes at 7200-8000'.
(3/11/23) Natural avalanches failing on NW slopes at 8200'.
Report
3 Mar 10, 2023
(Exact) 		Independence Gulch
NW 7400ft 		D2 N-Natural
(3/11/23) One large avalanche released on an NW slope at 7400' during the storm's end.
Report
3 Mar 10, 2023
(Exact) 		Johnstone Peak
W 9600ft 		D3 N-Natural
(3/11/23) One very large avalanche occurring earlier in the storm on in the west bowl of Johnstone Peak. Two other lager avalanches are visible on similar slopes.
Report
4 Mar 10, 2023
(+/- 1 day) 		Patterson Peak
N 8000ft 		D3 N-Natural
(3/11/23) Over 20 crowns can be seen in this photo. Some released early in the storm and some near the tail end. Most were north facing slopes, near the ridgelines.
Report
Patterson Peak
Boulder Peak
Silver Creek
Saviers Peak
Gladiator Creek
Galena Peak
Gladiator Peak
Prairie Creek
West Fork Prairie Creek
Easley Peak
Fox Creek
Kent Peak
Eagle Creek
Morgan Ridge
Lake Creek
Parker Gulch
Keystone Gulch
Independence Gulch
Johnstone Peak
Patterson Peak