Pro Field Report
Basic Information
Observation Details
Observation Date:
April 11, 2023Submitted:
April 11, 2023Observer:
SAC - Jon PreussZone or Region:
Galena Summit and Eastern MtnsLocation:
Grays PeakSigns of Unstable Snow
Recent Avalanches?
YesCracking?
None ExperiencedCollapsing?
IsolatedBottom Line
Frontal winds allowed the surface to refreeze above 9000' during the afternoon. Below that elevation, the snowpack was mushy, and I would occasionally drop through to the bottom of the snowpack. The "pipes" were frozen where yesterday's meltwater entered through the snowpack in the middle elevation north facing slopes. However, the late afternoon release of a wet slide on Carbonate demonstrates the lower elevations are dangerous until a solid freeze.
Advanced Information
Weather Summary
Cloud Cover:
OvercastWind:
Moderate , SWNew/Recent Snowfall:
No new snow.Winds picked up with the arrival of the cold front mid day. Clouds were thin enough to let some solar gain in during the late afternoon.
Avalanche Observations
| # | Date | Location | Size | Type | Bed Sfc | Depth | Trigger | Photos | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Apr 9, 2023 (+/- 1 day) |
Big Basin SE 11100ft |
D2.5 | WS-Wet Slab | N-Natural |
|
Report | ||
| 1 |
Apr 9, 2023 (+/- 1 day) |
East Fork Big Wood SE 11200ft |
D3 | WS-Wet Slab | N-Natural |
|
Report | ||
| 1 |
Apr 9, 2023 (+/- 1 day) |
East Fork Big Wood "Jaqueline Peak" SW 10400ft |
D2.5 | WS-Wet Slab | N-Natural |
|
Report | ||
| 1 |
Apr 11, 2023 5:15 pm (Exact) |
Carbonate Mtn E 6300ft |
D2 | WS-Wet Slab | N-Natural |
|
Report | ||
| 1 |
Apr 9, 2023 (+/- 1 day) |
East Fork Big Wood S 10600ft |
D3 | WS-Wet Slab | N-Natural |
|
Report |
I observed a few loose avalanches from yesterday's hot day. Only one of them was size 2.
Snowpack Observations
I dug at 8400' on an NW slope at 1545 hr. Ice layers were visible along the wall where water had moved through the snowpack and froze. Along some of the ice layers was a thin film of slush, so the water wasn't completely frozen yet, but it wasn't dripping out of the wall. I searched for percolation columns in the 2/18 faceted layer but only found a couple. Much of that layer was still faceted and looked unchanged from the melt water.
Avalanche Problems
| Problem | Location | Distribution | Sensitivity | Size | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wet Slab
|
|
Terrain Use
I avoided avalanche terrain.