Pro Field Report

Basic Information

Observation Details

Observation Date:
March 11, 2022
Submitted:
March 11, 2022
Observer:
SAC - Chris Lundy
Zone or Region:
Banner Summit
Location:
Shake Creek (6800-8700', S-E-N)

Signs of Unstable Snow

Recent Avalanches? 
None Observed
Cracking? 
None Experienced
Collapsing? 
None Experienced

Snow Stability

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

Bottom Line

I did not observe any well-defined avalanche problems. Although I did not directly observe the snowpack on upper elevation shaded aspects, mid-elevation shady slopes did not seem to have a pronounced persistent slab problem. I observed a number of small wind drifts, but they did not seem sensitive. Cloud cover kept wet loose issues at bay today.

Weak, faceted snow above and especially below the rain crust on shaded aspects could be an issue with loading - we'll see what the systems Sun-Tues bring.

Advanced Information

Weather Summary

Cloud Cover:
Overcast
Temperature:
cool
Wind:
Light , NW
New/Recent Snowfall:
8-13cm of recent snow sitting atop crusts

Cloudier than expected - full overcast from this morning on. Thick cloud deck around 10k', a few of the high Sawtooth summits were in the clouds. Even had a few flurries. A few periods of green housing but generally stayed cool. Winds were light with the sporadic moderate gust.

Avalanche Observations

None observed

Snowpack Observations

Supportable crusts on solars throughout the elevations I traveled in. One steeper SSW aspect I skied had moist snow atop the crust - not sure when that happened with the overcast skies, maybe during one of the greenhouse spells. The snow sitting atop the crusts seemed bonded to the crust and didn't seem particularly faceted.

Shady aspects were supportable at low elevations, giving way to a breakable rain crust that tapered off around 8500' or so. Similar to what Ben and I saw in the Sawtooths yesterday, there is a bit of faceting atop the rain crust, but very weak below the crust. Above about 8000', this could be a good weak layer if the loading Sun-Tues pans out.

I poked around on mid-elevation shaded slopes from 8000-8400'. A pit at 8000', NE (photo) had 13cm of recent snow atop a 1cm, P rain crust. Weak FC exist below the rain crust. There was an indistinct layer about 40cm down - possibly the 1/20 drought layer but it wasn't very weak or well-defined. ECTX x2. I couldn't get the block to shear at this layer after the ECTs. I dug a quick pit in on another spot higher up and did some pole poking, and I did not see/feel a distinct layer where I would expect 1/20 to be. Between the rain crust "capping" the slab and not finding an obvious weak layer, the persistent slab problem didn't seem pronounced at mid-elevations.

The question mark is upper elevation NE-N-NW. It's difficult to find safe pit sites in the Banner Summit zone at this aspect/elevation. Given the time from loading (the 3/1 storm), I suspect the persistent slab problem is unlikely.

I observed a number of dense wind drifts at upper elevations. They were up to 50cm thick, but did not extend downhill and did not seem reactive to ski cutting, stomping, etc. They were less extensive than what I observed in the Sawtooths yesterday.

Avalanche Problems

I did not observe any avalanche problems. I did see a number of wind drifts, but they seemed small, isolated, and stubborn to unreactive.

Terrain Use

I avoided shady terrain over 35*.