Pro Field Report
Basic Information
Observation Details
Observation Date:
January 5, 2022Submitted:
January 6, 2022Observer:
SAC - VandenBosZone or Region:
Galena Summit and Eastern MtnsLocation:
Durrance (6,300-9,000', E-SE-S-SW)Signs of Unstable Snow
Recent Avalanches?
YesCracking?
IsolatedCollapsing?
None ExperiencedSnow Stability
Stability Rating:
FairConfidence in Rating:
ModerateStability Trend:
WorseningBottom Line
Ongoing storm had created new snow problems at all elevations.
Media/Attachments
Advanced Information
Weather Summary
Cloud Cover:
ObscuredWind:
Strong , NWWinds blowing steady at the upper end of moderate/lower end of strong out of the NW. Snowing S-1 through afternoon, hard to get a handle on storm totals and accumulation during the tour thanks to the wind.
Avalanche Observations
3 small dribblers hit the edge of the highway across from Hulen Meadows, in the typical location.
Snowpack Observations
No formal obs, just looking at wind and snow. Wind was hard at work for the first 800' above the highway, then calmed a bit, eventually picking back up as I neared the top. Looking around at trees it appeared that it was not moving significant snow in most middle elevation terrain. Fresh slabs were particularly reactive at lower elevations, where they were the stickiest/most ductile and where they were sitting on grains that had been more highly faceted thanks to the inversions of the past few days. Probably could have found a lot of touchy slabs at lower elevations today if you wanted to go looking for them.
Avalanche Problems
| Problem | Location | Distribution | Sensitivity | Size | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wind Slab
|
|
Comments: Rose shaded based on where slabs are suspected to be most common. |
Terrain Use
Avoided directly entering avalanche terrain for simplicity. Crossed through the bottom of the runout of a historic path